A fisherman and his younger brother were recently brought before the Sessions Court after their female cousin revealed that she had been a victim of physical sexual assault by both men in a storeroom five years ago.

The two accused, now aged 18 and 25, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before Judge Mohd Khairi Haron.

The elder brother faces two charges, while the younger brother faces three charges.

Image Credit: Kosmo!

According to the first to fifth charges, the two brothers, who work as fishermen, were accused of committing sexual acts against their nine-year-old cousin at the time of the incident.

The offenses were allegedly committed in a storeroom and a bedroom of a house in Tangkak between late March and November until early December 2020.

As a result, the two brothers were charged under Section 14(a) and (d) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and whipping for each charge.

Forced to perform vile acts

According to the report, the victim was taken to the storeroom where the accused forced her to perform vile acts.

Not only that, the accused also threatened to do something to the victim if she reported their actions to her parents.

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Unable to bear the pressure, the victim eventually revealed the incident before a report was lodged at the Sungai Mati Police Station in Tangkak.

The court then allowed bail of RM8,000 for the elder brother and RM9,000 for the younger brother, with one surety each.

Additionally, the court imposed conditions requiring both to report to the nearest police station and not to disturb the victim or prosecution witnesses until the case is concluded.

The case will be mentioned again on 24 February for the appointment of lawyers and submission of documents.

Featured Image Credit: Kosmo!, 123RF