Security Guard Acquitted of Attempted Rape Charge After Appeal

KOTA KINABALU — A security guard, Arshad Masdin, 32, has been acquitted and discharged by the Court of Appeal, overturning his conviction for attempting to rape an 18-year-old university student six years ago.

The court, led by Justice Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, unanimously set aside the conviction and sentence, which had previously been upheld by the High Court. Arshad had been sentenced to 13 years in prison, six strokes of the cane, and three years of police supervision after being found guilty in 2020.

The incident, which occurred in a university dormitory on July 15, 2018, saw Arshad accused of forcibly removing the victim’s clothes. The case was initially brought to court in July 2018, and the prosecution presented 22 witnesses against Arshad.

His legal team, led by counsel Hamid Ismail and Shahlan Jufri, successfully appealed the case, resulting in the acquittal.