Malaysian Mother Who Beat Daughter's Alleged Rapist Faces Prosecution

A mother who tied up and caned a man who allegedly raped her young daughter is facing prosecution for taking the law into her own hands.

A video showing the mother thrashing the 28-year-old man in a village in north-east Malaysia has emerged on the internet. In the video the woman can be seen caning the man across his bare buttocks with a tree branch. He is said to have needed hospital treatment for his injuries.

If he is convicted of raping the 13-year-old girl he is likely to be caned all over again by the authorities as well as receiving a lengthy prison sentence. The mother of the girl also faces punishment for meting out her own punishment.

Assistant police commissioner Lai Yong Heng said officers had viewed the video and were now trying to identify the mother and a group of people alleged to have helped her capture and flog the alleged attacker.

Lai told Malaysia's The Star newspaper: "He received injuries to his body and head and had to go to hospital, while a second man linked to the rape was assaulted by a group of people."

He added: "People should not take the law Into their own hands, even if they believe they have a right to do so. We hope that the woman and the others seen in the video will surrender themselves before they are arrested."

The Star said the teenager had been raped several times by the two suspects in a house in the village of Tawang, in the Malaysian state of Kelantang.