Man convicted after raping, marrying 12-year-old girl

A Malaysian man was on Monday sentenced to prison for raping a 12-year-old girl, after a local Muslim court allowed him to marry his victim.
Riduan Masmud, 40, was sentenced to 12 years in prison and two cane strokes for the February 2013 incident in the eastern state of Sabah, by Judge Ummu Abdul-Samad in state capital, Kotak Kinabalu.
Riduan later married the girl, now 13, as his second wife a few months after the rape in an apparent bid to escape prosecution.
A sharia, or Muslim court, permitted the marriage, saying that there was no obstacle to the union, but prompting widespread outcry from the public and women’s rights group across the country.
Sharia courts in Malaysia have some autonomy of jurisdiction over the country’s Muslims, including allowing girls from 12 years of age to be married with parental consent.
National law states a minimum age for marriage of 18 years with parental consent, or 21 years without.
The Muslim courts could be overruled by the state’s secular justice system, although in practice this seldom occurs.
In Riduan’s case, following the public outrage, the attorney-general prosecuted him for the rape, leading to Monday’s conviction.
Meanwhile, the state court could imprison him, but could not dissolve the marriage.
However, the convict remained free on bail, while his counsel was set to appeal.
dpa/NAN.