7 Students Accused Of Rape Allowed Bail Because They Have To Sit For SPM Papers
They would be charged after the SPM examination was over.
By Sadho Ram — 17 Nov 2019, 02:51 PM
On Friday, 15 November, seven Form Five male students were detained to facilitate investigation into the alleged rape of a 14-year-old female student at a school in Tawau, Sabah
The seven students, all aged 17, were picked up after a police report about the alleged rape incident was lodged at 3.30pm on Friday, according to New Straits Times.
Tawau district police chief Assistant Commissioner (ACP) Peter Umbuas said the incident was reported to have taken place on Friday and the students were detained on the same day.
"It is confirmed that there was an incident of rape reported allegedly involving a 14-year-old student by seven students from the same school," Bernama reported him as saying on Saturday.
Police have obtained a three-day remand order against the suspects.
While a three-day remand order was obtained with the case being investigated under Section 375B/377A of the Penal Code, the seven students will be released on police bail tomorrow, 18 November
According to ACP Peter Umbuas, police will not be seeking to extend the remand.
Malaysiakini reported the ACP issuing a statement, saying that they consider "the case as successfully solved" and had no intention of extending the remand of the 17-year-old students.
The ACP said that the students would be charged in court on a date which has not yet been fixed after the SPM examination was over
In the meantime, police would complete the investigation paper and charges would be made against the students "if there was any solid evidence", ACP Peter Umbuas was reported saying by Astro Awani.
On the day of the alleged incident, a teacher had found the Form Two victim in a semi-nude condition in a switchroom of the school
According to New Straits Times, the incident took place at about 11am.
The victim reportedly told the teacher that she was raped by two boys, adding that four others had forced her to perform oral sex, while another observed the act.
The teacher then informed the victim's 40-year-old mother, who lodged the police report.
Meanwhile, Sabah Education Department director Dr Mistrine Radin, who expressed sadness that the incident allegedly happened within the school compound, was quoted by New Straits Times saying that the students "can still sit for their SPM papers while in remand"
While saying that the department will cooperate with the police in handling the case, she urged schools to step up security to prevent indecent activities among schoolchildren.
"I hope security guards carry out their duties and carry out patrols within the school premises as stated in their contract to prevent such incidents from happening again," Dr Mistrine was quoted as saying.
"Schools must also improve prevention by locking all rooms that are at risk of being misused by students."
