KOTA KINABALU: Five weeks after he was acquitted of a rape
charge, 81-year-old rubber tapper Tausang Tingal Sagunting died in
his sleep on Sunday.
Believed to be one of the oldest men in the country to be charged
with rape, Tausang had attended morning mass at his Kampung
Loputong church that day.
He was looking cheerful and seen chatting with his daughter and
son-in-law before he walked back to his house, where he took a
nap.
At about 10.30am, his son-in-law, who lives close by, went to visit
him and found Tausang dead.
It is a very sad case, said lawyer D.B. Aludah, who had defended
Tausang in the court case.
Aludah said that he was informed of Tausangs death by the village
head on Tuesday.
Tausang was buried in his village on Tuesday, he added.
Suka sama suka (consensual) was how Tausang maintained his
innocence on the charge of raping a 19-year-old girl from the same
village in August 2004.
He was first produced in the Sessions court on Dec 4, 2004.
The girl gave birth to a son, who is now two-and-a-half years
old.
Aludah said that the prosecution had appealed against the verdict
and he had asked the family to send him a copy of the death
certificate.
He said he would notify the Deputy Public Prosecutor of Tausangs
death.
Tausang, who marked his birthday on July 5, leaves behind three
children.
Aludah said that although Tausangs identity card gave his date of
birth as July 5, 1926, he had told him he was about two years older
than the stated age.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/19/nation/18341439&sec=nation
