Published: Saturday August 3, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Saturday August 3, 2013 MYT 6:58:35 AM
Ex-vice cop charged with raping minor
BY RUBEN SARIO
Out on bail: DSP Rohaizat leaving the Sessions Court in Kota Kinabalu with his lawyer and wife after claiming trial to four charges of raping a 13-year-old girl. — NORMIMIE DIUN / The Star
KOTA KINABALU: A senior police officer who used to be entrusted with tackling vice was charged with four counts of raping a 13-year-old girl.
Deputy Supt Rohaizat Abd Ani, 54, former D7 unit chief at the Sabah police headquarters who also served as Setiu OCPD early last year, is accused of raping the girl at a hotel room here at about 3.30pm on Feb 1 last year.
He was also charged with sodomising the girl on the same day and place and also accused of raping the girl again at about 10am the following day.
When the fourth charge of raping the girl at the same hotel sometime in May last year was read out, he asked: “What, no date?”
He then shook his head and said: “Not guilty.”
He took down notes when the earlier charges were read out and answered “Not guilty” each time in a loud and clear voice.
DSP Rohaizat, who is currently on active duty as deputy chief of the Federal Reserve Unit in Penang, arrived in court wearing a jacket and dark pants, accompanied by his wife.
The father of two hid his face with a newspaper when he saw reporters and photographers while walking into the courtroom.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jamil Aripin asked for bail of RM20,000 for each of the charges, saying that they were very serious in nature.
DSP Rohaizat’s lawyer Ram Singh, however, told the court that his client held a very senior position in the police force and he would not abscond.
Ram said DSP Rohaizat was willing to report himself to the Penang police headquarters twice a week if necessary.
He also urged that a minimum bail of RM5,000 be set for each of the charges.
Sessions judge Ismail Berahim, however, set the amount at RM40,000 and allowed DSP Rohaizat to be released after fixing Dec 9 to 13 for the trial.
Jamil said the prosecution had a list of 25 witnesses but had not determined how many would be called to testify.
