Featured image adapted from Africa images on Canva, for illustration purposes only, and by MS News.
An “outwardly pious” 66-year-old religious council member sexually assaulted a 12-year-old boy whom he invited to stay over at his home.
The defendant met the victim’s father and became friends with him in 2021. Over the next one-year period, he had meals with the victim alongside his father and sister.
In March 2022, the defendant offered to take the boy out for outdoor activities, including football and boxing.
As the activities took place over a few days, the man suggested that the boy stay over at his house for “convenience”.
The victim’s father agreed and asked that his interested daughter join them as well. However, the defendant refused, citing religious reasons about having a girl in his home.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), the 11-year-old boy stayed over on most days between 6 and 12 March 2022. The defendant took him out for activities such as boxing and football during this period.
When the boy fell asleep, the defendant molested him multiple times. He even recorded his misdeeds and took 40 photographs of the victim’s private parts.
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The victim was unaware of the molestation.
On 17 June 2023, the defendant took the boy to his home, preparing to leave the next day for a pre-agreed trip to Malaysia.
At about 2am, the 12-year-old victim woke up to the sensation of being hugged. The victim knew it was the offender, as there was no one else in the house.
As the boy pretended to be asleep, the man molested and sexually assaulted him.
Source: Africa images on Canva. For illustration purposes only
After the man left the room, the victim went to the toilet at 4.17am and sent a text asking his father to pick him up, according to Shin Min Daily News.
He wrote that the defendant had raped him in his sleep.
The victim’s father picked up his son at 6.10am after seeing the message and called the police.
Police officers later arrested the defendant and found the nude footage of the victim from March 2022.
Child pornograph material involving young males was also found on the man’s devices.
The defendant told investigators that he was copying sexual acts from online pornography he had watched.
On Tuesday (16 Sept), the 66-year-old pleaded guilty to three charges: molestation, sexual assault by penetration, and producing child abuse material.
The prosecution highlighted the defendant’s “different self” — an “outwardly pious” man who was “driven by perverse intent” behind closed doors.
As such, they sought a “firm response” through a sentence of 12 to 14 years in jail.
The court sentenced the man to 13 years and three months’ jail, which included nine months in lieu of caning as he is over 50.
Also read: S’pore man sexually assaults daughter since she was 13, blames her when confronted
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Featured image adapted from Africa images on Canva and by MS News. Picture on the left is for illustration purposes only.