KOTA KINABALU: A 37-yearold man has been sentenced to 18 years' jail and 10 strokes of rotan by the Sessions Court here yesterday for raping his 13-yearold stepdaughter.

Judge Ummu Kalthom Abd Samad meted out the sentence on the accused after finding him guilty under Section 376 (3) of the Penal Code.

The indictment provides for a jail term of up to 30 years and whipping upon conviction.

The accused had raped his teenage stepdaughter at a rented house in Putatan on January 2019.

The accused through his counsel PJ Perira had applied for a stay of execution of the case to the High Court as the accused is working and has three children.

However, the court denied the stay and he was ordered to serve his jail sentence immediately starting yesterday.

In his mitigation plea, the accused prayed for a lenient sentence to be meted out.

The prosecution had called nine witnesses and the defence called two witnesses, including the accused.

DPP Siti Hajar Mazlan prosecuted the case.