A MAN who impregnated his daughter by rape was sentenced to 702 years in prison and 234 lashes by the Muar Sessions Court after pleading guilty to 19 charges of rape and 11 charges of sexual assault against his two daughters.

But the 53-year-old will serve a 42-year prison sentence after judge Abu Bakar Manat ordered the sentences for all rape and sexual offences to run concurrently from the date of his arrest on July 10, and he will receive the maximum legal limit of 24 whippings.

The first to 19th charge accused the cleaner of raping his two daughters, who were then nine and 10 years old, in two houses in Bakri and Jalan Jeram Tepi, Muar, since 2018, the last time being July 9 this year.

The charges were filed under section 376(3) of the penal code, which provides for a prison sentence of up to 30 years and 10 strokes of the cane if convicted.

As for the 21st to 30th charge, he is accused of sexually assaulting both victims at the same location and time under section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with section 16(1) of the same act, which provides imprisonment of up to 20 years and whipping.

Deputy public prosecutor Danial Munir asked the court to mete out a heavy sentence for the serious offences that have severely traumatised his two children. One daughter is five weeks pregnant.

The accused, who was unrepresented, appealed for a lighter sentence on the grounds he regrets his actions.

The court sentenced him to 30 years in prison and 10 strokes of the cane for each count of rape.

For the sexual assault charge, the court sentenced him to 10 years in prison and two whippings for each charge under section 14 and an additional two years in prison and two lashes for each charge under section 16 of of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017. – Bernama, August 14, 2023.