KLANG: Enticed by a man thrice her age, a 13-year-old ended up being raped at an undisclosed location in Malacca on Thursday.
The 39-year-old suspected rapist was arrested by Klang Utara police on Saturday
The Form One student had attended school for the afternoon session on Thursday but failed to return home in the evening.
Her worried parents checked with the girl’s school bus driver who told them that he had failed to see the victim and she did not board the bus.
They went over to the victim’s school and were shocked to learn from her classmates that the girl had left in a car with a man at about 6.40pm.
Her parents promptly went to the police and lodged a missing person report.
Klang Utara police chief ACP Cha Hoong Fong (pix) said investigations revealed that the girl had befriended a man in a socialising and dating application known as Zaky just two days earlier and the duo had made plans to meet up.
He said the victim and the suspect had also planned to flee to Malacca.
“On Thursday evening, the suspect picked up the girl from her school and drove her to a shophouse in Malacca. There he had sex with her. The following day at about 11.30pm, on her request, the suspect sent the victim to Sentul in Kuala Lumpur where the girl called up her friend and spent the night with her,“ he said.
Cha said on Saturday, the victim contacted her classmate and sought her help to return home. He said soon after she made the call, police were alerted and the victim was rescued and reunited with her family.
Cha said the suspect who was tracked down and arrested at 9.30pm in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday is being held under a four-day remand order.
He said the man is being investigated for abducting a person from lawful guardianship and statutory rape under Section 363 and Section 376 the Penal Code respectively.
“To ensure they do not get involved in unhealthy activities, we urge parents and guardians to constantly keep watch of their children’s movements especially if they are teenagers.
They should also monitor the electronic devices such as cellphones and computers their children use,“ Cha said.
