Year in review: Father in sex crime shocks nation

KUALA LUMPUR: The 623 charges slapped on a man, including sodomising his own 15-year-old daughter, grabbed the headlines in 2017.
The sheer number sexual offences committed by the man shocked the nation. It took two days to read out the charges at newly launched Child Court, in Putrajaya on June 22.
The father, a unit trust agent, was charged with 591 sodomy offences, 30 counts of physical sexual assault, one incest charge and another for sexual abuse.
According the chargesheet, the father was said to have sodomised his daughter repeatedly almost every day, at three specific times, for a period of two years, including in the month of Ramadan and around Hari Raya.
The man, a divorcee, admitted to all the charge on Sept 8 and was jailed a total of 48 years and ordered to be whipped 24 times.
Another case that also attracted attention involved a national diving coach. Huang Qiang, 35, from China, who claimed trial to raping a 20-year-old national diver at Dry Gym, diving gymnasium, National Aquatic Centre, Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex at about 5.30pm on Sept 26.
The charge, under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, is punishable with a jail term of up to 20 years and liable to a fine. The hearing of the case has been fixed from Jan 15 to Jan 19 next year.
Former Road Transport Department deputy director-general Datuk Yusoff Ayob was also in the news for not turning up to face his charges of illegally using the emergency lane during a traffic jam. His special officer pleaded guilty and paid RM600 fine on Yusoff's behalf.
It was learnt that Yusoff was attending an event at the RTD headquarters at the time. The case went up to the High Court for a review and it was sent back to the same magistrate's court in Putrajaya.
On July 26, Yusoff claimed trial to the same charge. He was later found guilty and fined the maximum RM2,000 on Oct 16 for illegally using the emergency lane.
A "Datuk Seri"was in court on Nov 3 to face charges of assaulting three Rela members.
Datuk Seri Liow Soon Hee, 29, pleaded not guilty to causing hurt to the Rela members and using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty.
He claimed trial to causing grievous hurt to Lee Weng Poh, 27, using criminal force on Melvin Cheong Mun Khai, 21, and causing hurt to Leong Jun Jie, 27.
The offences were charged with committing the compound of the Kou Ong Yah Temple, Jalan Merdeka, Kampung Baru, Ampang on Oct 27, 2017. He is also facing two drug-related charges.
The case of two 16 year-old teenagers, who were charged with the murder 21 students and two teachers at Pusat Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah in Datuk Keramat between 4.15am and 6.45am on Sept 14, 2017, will begin next year. The case is fixed for mention on Jan 3, 2018.