SIBU, May 22 — The Sessions Court here sentenced a 23-year-old man to a total of 30 years’ jail and nine strokes of the cane for committing incest with his 14-year-old niece.

Judge Musyiri Peet imposed a sentence of 10 years’ jail and three strokes of the cane for each of the three charges under Section 376B(1) of the Penal Code, and ordered the imprisonment to run consecutively.

The accused was charged with committing incest with his niece on three occasions, namely at around 2am on June 1, 2025 and around 11pm on June 2, 2025, and at around 8.30am on February 13, 2026.

All three offences took place in a room of a house in Kanowit.

Based on the facts of the case, a doctor at Kanowit Hospital examined a 14-year-old female patient at around 4.30pm on May 11, 2026 and found that she was 31 weeks pregnant.

During an initial interview, the teenager revealed that she had had sexual relations with the accused, who is her uncle.

Acting on a report lodged, police arrested the accused at around 7.30pm the same day.

Deputy public prosecutor Cynthia Emmelda Jerry prosecuted the case, while the accused was unrepresented by legal counsel. — The Borneo Post

* If you are experiencing sexual violence, the following hotlines offer free and confidential support: Talian Kasih at 15999 or WhatsApp 019-2615999 (24/7); All Women’s Action Society at 016-2374221/016-2284221 (9.30am-5.30pm); and Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) at 03-30008858 or SMS/WhatsApp TINA 018-9888058 (24/7)

 

KOTA KINABALU, May 22 — A consultant forensic psychiatrist has told the inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir that her diary was a safe space to express true emotions.

Dr Chua Sze Hung, 43, told Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan that Zara’s diary contained truthful and genuine expressions.

“It is the raw private unfiltered psychological skeleton; it is the objective ‘living’ archive of her. It is an invaluable documentary evidence and personal artefact.

“In the forensic and psychological investigation, verbal interaction alone is a less accurate indicator of internal mental state given that adolescents tend to mask their distress and to conform frequently. They would present as outwardly pleasant and there is a risk of presenting the false self.

“In contrast, the diary, it is the truth, genuine self-representation; free of social psychological interpersonal pressure and judgment. Then it is a raw, private, unfiltered self,” Dr Chua testified.

To a question from conducting officer Dacia Jane Romanus, the witness said that None Suicidal Self Injury (NSSI) or Barcode is a mild adaptive, emotion regulation strategy used for the purpose of regulating psychological distress, where those without psychological distress are unlikely to resort to it.

To another question, the witness further testified that psychological autopsy for adolescents is uniquely different from adults, as for the latter the focus would be the family members, spouse, colleagues, and friends.

“In adolescents, the main bulk of the informants should be the peers. I understand that these three family members (Zara’s aunty, uncle, and cousin) are not live-in family members, and encounters are occasional and cross sectional.”

Zara, 13, was found unconscious under her dormitory building on July 16, 2025 and died the next day in hospital.

On Aug 20, 2025, five minors, who were given the pseudonyms Student A, B, C, D, and E, were charged with using insulting words against Zara, with the court case currently ongoing.

The inquest continues today. — The Borneo Post

KUCHING, May 21 — A lorry driver was found dead after being trapped under mud following a self-accident involving a premix-laden lorry along Jalan Batang Lupar–Sadong near Kampung Tebeluk, Sebuyau today.

The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said it received an emergency call at 7.06am, with personnel from the Simunjan and Asajaya fire stations deployed to the scene.

According to a statement, police initial findings suggested the incident occurred around 5am after a front tyre burst, causing the driver to lose control before the lorry skidded into a muddy ditch.

“The accident caused the driver to become trapped inside the lorry under a pile of mud,” the department said in a statement.

Rescue teams carried out digging works inside the lorry cabin, while a crane and excavator were used to pull the vehicle out of the ditch to assist in extricating the victim.

The victim was later handed over to police, and the operation concluded at 3.40pm. — The Borneo Post

 

KUCHING, May 21 — A lorry driver is believed to be buried under mud following a single-vehicle accident involving a soil-laden lorry along Jalan Batang Lupar-Sadong in Sebuyau this morning.

The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said it received an emergency call regarding the incident at 7.06am and deployed firefighters from the Asajaya fire station to the scene.

Upon arrival, it was found that the accident involved a lorry carrying soil, which had overturned and caused the driver to become trapped inside the mud-filled vehicle.

“Firefighters at the scene are carrying out rescue operations. Efforts to extricate the victim are difficult as the driver is trapped inside the mud-filled vehicle.

“The operation is still ongoing and a crane is being awaited to remove the lorry from the mud,” Bomba said in a statement. — The Borneo Post

 

 

KOTA KINABALU, May 19 — The Sessions Court here has found former Sabah Water Department director Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib guilty of 12 charges of money laundering.

Judge Abu Bakar Manat has allowed a short stand down for the prosecution and defence to prepare mitigation for Ag Mohd Tahir before passing sentence.

Two others — Ag Mohd Tahir’s wife Fauziah Piut and former deputy director Lim Lam Beng @ Lim Chee Hong — were discharged and acquitted of all their charges.

Fauziah had 19 charges while Lim faced four charges. — The Borneo Post

MORE TO COME

MIRI, May 18 — Lutong fire station personnel were left intrigued and amused when a hornbill repeatedly knocked on the windows of the station’s control centre.

The unusual encounter occurred around 10.30am on Monday, when the oriental pied hornbill hopped on the window ledge and began tapping the glass with its beak, as if attempting to get the attention of those inside.

Station chief Henry Jugah said the hornbill was not a stranger to his team as it would appear from time to time around the premises.

“The hornbill has visited the station on several occasions before, but this time its behaviour attracted more attention when it repeatedly knocked on the window panel,” he said, adding that the encounter was recorded by personnel on their mobile phones.

Henry also said the bird’s appearance would hopefully bring luck to Lutong fire station as the festive season is fast approaching.

The encounter brought back memories of an earlier incident involving the protected bird species.

In March, personnel from the station had rescued a critically injured hornbill at Kuala Baram Industrial Estate, after it was found lying weak on the ground amid sweltering heat and ongoing bushfires in the area.

Firefighters who responded to the incident later handed the exhausted bird over to the relevant authorities for further treatment and monitoring. — The Borneo Post

 

KUCHING, May 18 — The elderly driver who crashed into a coffee shop near the Jalan Rock traffic light intersection on Saturday had lost control of his sedan, police confirmed.

Kuching police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu also confirmed that two individuals from the coffee shop sustained minor injuries in the incident.

“The incident occurred at around 10.50am when the elderly man, aged 84, was reversing his sedan to exit a parking space.

“However, the driver then lost control of his vehicle as it is believed that he (mistakenly) pressed the accelerator pedal, before he crashed into the coffee shop’s equipment and stall, as well as two stall operators at the premises.

“Due to the incident, the victims, a 68-year-old male and 62-year-old female, sustained light injuries,” he said in a statement.

Alexson said both victims were treated as outpatients at Sarawak General Hospital.

The case is being investigated under the Road Traffic Rules 1959 (LN 166/59). — The Borneo Post

KUCHING, May 16 — An elderly man lost control of his sedan and crashed into a coffee shop near Jalan Rock traffic light junction here today.

See Hua Daily News reported that the incident occurred at around 11am, and the elderly driver was unharmed.

Personnel from the Civil Defence Force responded to the incident and arrived at the scene to provide assistance

It was also learnt that two individuals from the coffeeshop were sent to hospital by ambulance, possibly due to shock from the incident.

No other casualties were reported at the scene. — The Borneo Post