Man charged with rape escapes jail after marrying 14 years old victim

A Malaysian man charged with the rape of a 14-year-old girl has avoided prison by marrying his victim.

Ahmad Syukri Yusuf, 22, was charged with statutory rape late last year and faced up to 30 years in jail.

He later married the teenager under Islamic law, prosecutor Ahmad Fariz said. A court in Kuching ruled there was no need to proceed with the case after the marriage certificate was presented.

Human rights groups reacted to the news with fury. Tan Heang Lee, of the Women’s Aid Organisation, said the marriage was ‘basically an extension of rape.’

‘It is very common for rapists to marry their survivors, especially when they are underage, to cover up their crime,’ she said.