PUTRAJAYA: A former taxi driver who took a promoter on a terror ride and later raped her at the back seat of his taxi lost his appeal against conviction and sentence.

The Court of Appeal judges Justice Zainun Ali, Abu Samah Nordin and Sulong Matjeraie were unanimous in dismissing Abd Ghani Abd Karim's appeal.

“We are in agreement on the finding of facts made by the Sessions Court judge and the High Court judge (against the appellant),” said Justice Zainun.

On May 7, 2004, Abd Ghani, 33, was sentenced to 20 years' jail and ordered to be whipped eight times for raping the promoter in Seputeh in 2001.

DPP Jamhirah Ali told the court yesterday that the lower courts had accepted the evidence given by the 24-year-old promoter.

She said the victim had testified that she was taken on a terror ride and confined in a taxi with a child lock. She said the taxi stopped in a dark and quiet place where Abd Ghani threatened to tear her (victim) clothes if she did not undress him.

The accused was said to have raped her and later gave her RM500.

His lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad argued that the trial judge and the High Court judge had erred when they dismissed his defence as a fabrication and an afterthought.

Amer contended that both parties knew each other and had an affair.