KUCHING, March 18 — A former police corporal, who has been on the run since 2009, claimed trial in the Sessions Court here today to raping his underage niece.

The 57-year-old faces a charge under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code (Act 574), which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and caning upon conviction.

According to the amended charge sheet, the accused allegedly committed the offence against the child at a house in Petra Jaya between 2003 and June 21, 2009.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Aiman Mutallib Mohamad Shariff is appearing for the prosecution, while the accused is represented by lawyer Abdul Rahman Mohamad Hazmi.

Abdul Rahman applied for bail, arguing that his client no longer resided in the same area as the victim.

However, Mohamad Aiman did not offer bail for the accused, as the charge involved a non-bailable offence.

Judge Iris Awen Jon rejected the bail application and set case mention for April 21.

It is understood that the accused has been on the run since the victim lodged a police report on July 20, 2009.

The victim claimed she had been raped approximately seven times between 2003 — when she was seven years old — and June 21, 2009, when she was 12.

It is understood that the accused had changed his name before fleeing to Indonesia, where he successfully obtained citizenship and had a foster family.

Based on information provided by the accused’s family members, he was apprehended at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 7, 2025 while preparing to depart for Indonesia. — The Borneo Post