69yo man jailed for molesting 2 sisters in Petra Jaya; claimed to be senile, unaware of actions

By Dorcas Ting

KUCHING, Mar 6: An elderly man was sentenced to a total of 42 months’ imprisonment by the Magistrates’ Court today after admitting to molesting two sisters at their home in Petra Jaya earlier this month.

Salleh Jolhi, 69, a labourer and father of six, pleaded guilty to two separate charges before two different magistrates.

Under the first charge, he admitted to outraging the modesty of a woman by touching her buttocks and chest. In the second charge, he was accused of committing a similar act against the victim’s sister. Both are in their early 20s.

The offences took place in the sisters’ bedrooms at a village house along Jalan Sultan Tengah in Petra Jaya at about 8am on March 2.

The charges were framed under Section 354 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine, whipping, or any combination of these upon conviction.

Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan sentenced Salleh to 24 months’ imprisonment for the first charge, while Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan imposed an 18-month jail term for the second charge. The court ordered both sentences to run consecutively, bringing the total prison term to 42 months.

According to the facts of the case, the two sisters were asleep next to each other when the accused entered the room and suddenly lay down between them.

He then intentionally touched the first victim’s chest and grabbed her buttocks while attempting to pull down her pants without her consent.

The accused also touched the second victim’s buttocks. She realised what was happening when she turned and saw the man lying sideways behind her.

Startled, the woman screamed, prompting the accused to flee through the kitchen door.

The victims later lodged a police report, leading to the man’s arrest at about 11.25pm on the same day.

During proceedings in both courts, Deputy Public Prosecutors Muhammad Aidil Akmal Sharidan and Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, noting that the accused had allegedly been entering neighbours’ homes in the village and had travelled some distance from his own residence before committing the offence.

Salleh, who was unrepresented, appealed for leniency, telling the court that it was his first offence and claiming that he was senile and unaware of his actions. — DayakDaily

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