SETIU, Malaysia: A school gardener was arrested four hours after the family of a 7-year-old pupil lodged a police report that he raped her during the school's Teachers Day celebrations on May 19.

After seven days of keeping the traumatic incident to herself, the Year One pupil finally broke down and related the ordeal to her teacher.

According to police, the teacher had noticed that the girl was not her usual bubbly self for several days.

Sensing that something was not right, she decided to approach the pupil on Tuesday.

After some coaxing, the girl finally told the teacher about what happened.
The victim told the teacher that the gardener from Kampung Bari Besar pulled her into a storeroom at 10am that day as she was walking to the toilet.

He then raped her and then warned the terrified pupil not to tell anyone about the incident.

Police said the victim was too afraid to scream or ask for help as she was being raped.

State CID chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Fauzi Abduri said the teacher immediately informed school authorities besides contacting the victim's father.

The father, from Kampung Serdang Bintang, here, lodged a report at the Permaisuri police station at 2.30pm the same day.

The girl was sent to Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital for a medical examination with police picking up the suspect at the school soon after.

Police have obtained a seven-day remand order on the suspect.