Relatives hope Sabah rape victim will move on with life

KOTA KINABALU, Feb 3: A family here is hoping that a restaurant manager’s conviction and sentencing for raping the 13-year-old girl who he later married will enable the victim to move on with her life.

An aunt who had been caring for the girl said they were now hoping for her to return to school after a year’s absence following the incident on Feb 18 last year.

“She is academically bright and her ambition is to become a doctor,” said the sister of the girl’s father outside the Sessions Court on Monday after restaurant manager Riduan Masmud was sentenced to 12 years’ jail and ordered to be caned twice for the offence.

“We just want her to get on with her life and achieve her dreams,” she added.

Meanwhile, Riduan’s wife and daughter broke down in tears and hugged him, as he emerged from the court after being sentenced by judge Ummu Kalthom Abdul Samad.

Riduan spoke to his lawyer Ram Singh before being led away by police personnel pending his family posting a RM15,000 bail for his release.

Ummu Kalthom had earlier allowed for a stay of execution of the sentence after Ram said they would be appealing to the High Court against the conviction and sentence.

source: The Star