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KOTA KINABALU - A Sessions Court has rejected the appeal of 40-year-old restaurant manager Riduan Masmud to be with his 13-year-old second wife because "itu tanggungjawab saya" (that is my responsibility).
The restaurant manager is accused of raping the minor in February.
Sessions Court judge Ummu Kalthom Samad rejected Riduan's plea before the prosecution closed the case yesterday, saying that it was because the case was ongoing.
Riduan is representing himself after his counsel Loretto Padua discharged himself from the case on Sept 19. He will know his fate on Dec 11.
Riduan has until Nov 28 to file his submissions simultaneously with the deputy public prosecutor.
Earlier in the trial, Riduan asked the court whether he was still banned from meeting his second wife, claiming that he wanted to discharge his responsibility.
Judge Ummu also told Riduan that he could only apply to get back his car, which is being kept as evidence, after the ruling.
Riduan, a father of four children, was charged with raping the schoolgirl in a parked vehicle on a road heading towards the Kionsom waterfalls on Feb 18.
He later married the girl in May as efforts were made to withdraw the case against him.
