Bandar Seri Begawan - A 44-year-old divorced man with five children including an adopted child was sentenced to jail for 17 years with I2 strokes of the cane by Justice Dato Paduka Steven Chong in the High Court yesterday on six charges of rape, outraging modesty and having unlawful sexual acts with his daughter and niece, both underaged at the time of offences.

The man's identity cannot be revealed to protect the victims' identities.

On January 26, 2013, as everyone in the house was fast asleep, he had sex with his daughter who did not resist as she was afraid of him.

On his daughter's 14th birthday in August 20I2, the defendant told her that if she agreed to his sexual advances he would let her off from having to go to school.

The ordeal continued in August and September 2009 even during the fasting month.

The defendant also outraged the modesty of his I2-year-old niece at home once and another time in his car at the basement parking of a shopping mall.

The defendant's offences were eventually exposed when his niece told about it to her school counsellor and was reported to JAPEM.

DPPs Pg Suzana Pg Abas and Pg Hana Pg Mohammad prosecuted the case.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin