In a distressing court session held yesterday at the Sessions Court, a father has pleaded guilty to charges of physically and sexually abusing his own daughter, which tragically resulted in her becoming pregnant at the advanced stage of seven months.

The accused, a 41-year-old man, faced a total of eight charges, including one count of physical sexual abuse against his 15-year-old daughter since the year 2020. Before Judge Abu Bakar Manat, he made a guilty plea after all the charges were read out in court by the interpreter.

The first charge against the accused alleges that he committed acts of physical sexual abuse against his daughter in a residence located in Semerah, within the same locality, on a night in 2020.

The accused was charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offenses Against Children Act 2017, in conjunction with Section 16 of the same act. These sections entail severe penalties, including a maximum sentence of up to five years' imprisonment and caning.

Regarding the second to eighth charges, the accused, who was employed in a village, stands accused of repeatedly raping his own daughter from October 2020 until June 5th. Shockingly, all of these disturbing incidents occurred within the confines of their shared residence.

For these charges, the accused was charged under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code, which carries a heavy maximum penalty of up to 30 years' imprisonment and 10 strokes of the cane.

According to the facts presented in the case, the accused committed these abhorrent acts when no other family members were present at home, further compounding the distressing nature of the situation.

The truth behind this horrifying ordeal only came to light during a routine health examination conducted at the victim's school, which revealed alarming physical changes in her body. It was at this moment that the victim became aware of her pregnancy and subsequently lodged a police report against her own father.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Sulehan Abd Rahman has since requested the court to set a date for the acquisition of crucial evidence, including the DNA report, medical records, and the accused's prior criminal records.

Considering the gravity of the charges and the potential danger the accused poses, the prosecution has firmly opposed offering any bail to the accused during the proceedings.