https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/f...ges-over-alleged-sexual-abuse-womans-daughter
singapore
The High Court judge concluded that the prosecution’s case has not been proven beyond reasonable doubt, and thus, it would be unsafe to convict the pair.
PHOTO: The Straits Times
PUBLISHED ON September 30, 2025 4:50 PM BY Selina Lum
SINGAPORE - A man and his former lover, who were on trial over the alleged sexual abuse of the woman's daughter when the complainant was between 11 and 16 years old, were acquitted of all charges on Sept 30.
The 74-year-old man, who used to provide massages at a temple, was accused of sexually violating the girl under the guise of massaging her to "cure" her menstrual condition, and performing "ritual showers" to get rid of her "bad luck".
The woman, 66, was accused of helping the man commit the offences, including holding down her daughter's ankles.
The pair had contested the allegations in a trial that began in November 2021.
Delivering his verdict on Sept 30, High Court Judge Pang Khang Chau said he did not find the complainant's evidence to be sufficiently credible and convincing.
He concluded that the prosecution's case has not been proven beyond reasonable doubt, and thus, it would be unsafe to convict the pair of the charges against them.
The pair cannot be named under a gag order to protect the identity of the complainant, who is now 24 years old.
The man faced 15 charges for alleged offences committed between 2012 and 2017.
They comprised nine counts of sexual assault by penetration, two counts of outrage of modesty, three counts of sexual exploitation and one count of showing pornographic videos to a young person.
His former lover faced 13 charges, comprising 12 counts of conspiring with the man to commit the various sexual acts and one count of showing pornographic videos to a young person.
When the trial opened, prosecutors told the court that the girl was in Primary 2 when she got to know the man, who coached the lion dance troupe that her elder brother was in.
The woman started to visit the man regularly at the temple - taking her daughter along - where he performed massages on both of them.
A police officer who interviewed the man testified that the man said he learnt how to perform massages from "medical books and YouTube videos".
The prosecution said that after the man's clinic at the temple closed down, he began providing massages to the girl and her family at their home.
The complainant said the man sexually violated her when he massaged her groin area to purportedly treat her irregular periods.
When she kicked around to prevent the intrusive acts, her mother held down her ankles, she said.
She said he eventually massaged her while clad only in his boxers, and asked her to massage him.
She said the pair showed her obscene videos and had sex in front of her many times.
In August 2017, the man began conducting prayers to "rid" the girl of evil spirits.
After a few sessions, he began performing ritual showers on her at the family's flat.
She said the "ritual" included the man brushing his hand and a lime over her body, and ended with her being told to squat down. She said he then carried out a sexually intrusive act.
A police report was made in November 2017.
On Sept 30, Justice Pang said he accepted the man's testimony that the massage bed was donated to the woman only in late 2013 after the temple closed for renovations, and that he did not begin going to her home until Chinese New Year in 2014.
The judge said there was independent evidence to support the man's claim.
He said this meant two charges of sexual assault that allegedly took place on the massage bed between March 2012 and March 2014 could not have occurred.
As for the four other charges, Justice Pang rejected the prosecution's argument that the man had admitted committing the offences in a statement given to the police.
After viewing a video of the demonstration that the man gave to the police officer, the judge said there was reasonable doubt whether it amounted to an admission of committing a penetrative act.
The judge said the complainant's testimony that the alleged intrusion lasted five seconds was more consistent with the man's contention that he was trying to clean her body.
He was also persuaded by the man's testimony that, given the cramped conditions of the bathroom and the items that he was holding during the showers, it was unlikely that the man had assaulted her.
The judge said there was reasonable doubt as to whether the man had shown pornography to the girl. The man's account was that she had taken his mobile phone and looked at the videos herself.
Given his finding that the man had not committed the various sexual acts, the woman's 12 charges for conspiracy are thus not established, said the judge.
He added that the complainant's recollection of the time period when her mother showed her pornography appeared to be unreliable.
The woman denied that she had done this when her daughter was in Primary 4.
Instead, she said she showed pornography to her daughter when the girl was in Secondary 2 to teach her about sex after the girl opted out of sex education lessons.
The man and the woman, who were represented by Mr Charles Ng and Ms Renee Oei respectively, did not display visible emotions upon being cleared of the charges.
They are no longer in a relationship.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
singapore
Former lovers acquitted of all charges over alleged sexual abuse of woman's daughter
The High Court judge concluded that the prosecution’s case has not been proven beyond reasonable doubt, and thus, it would be unsafe to convict the pair.
PHOTO: The Straits Times
PUBLISHED ON September 30, 2025 4:50 PM BY Selina Lum
SINGAPORE - A man and his former lover, who were on trial over the alleged sexual abuse of the woman's daughter when the complainant was between 11 and 16 years old, were acquitted of all charges on Sept 30.
The 74-year-old man, who used to provide massages at a temple, was accused of sexually violating the girl under the guise of massaging her to "cure" her menstrual condition, and performing "ritual showers" to get rid of her "bad luck".
The woman, 66, was accused of helping the man commit the offences, including holding down her daughter's ankles.
The pair had contested the allegations in a trial that began in November 2021.
Delivering his verdict on Sept 30, High Court Judge Pang Khang Chau said he did not find the complainant's evidence to be sufficiently credible and convincing.
He concluded that the prosecution's case has not been proven beyond reasonable doubt, and thus, it would be unsafe to convict the pair of the charges against them.
The pair cannot be named under a gag order to protect the identity of the complainant, who is now 24 years old.
The man faced 15 charges for alleged offences committed between 2012 and 2017.
They comprised nine counts of sexual assault by penetration, two counts of outrage of modesty, three counts of sexual exploitation and one count of showing pornographic videos to a young person.
His former lover faced 13 charges, comprising 12 counts of conspiring with the man to commit the various sexual acts and one count of showing pornographic videos to a young person.
When the trial opened, prosecutors told the court that the girl was in Primary 2 when she got to know the man, who coached the lion dance troupe that her elder brother was in.
The woman started to visit the man regularly at the temple - taking her daughter along - where he performed massages on both of them.
A police officer who interviewed the man testified that the man said he learnt how to perform massages from "medical books and YouTube videos".
The prosecution said that after the man's clinic at the temple closed down, he began providing massages to the girl and her family at their home.
The complainant said the man sexually violated her when he massaged her groin area to purportedly treat her irregular periods.
When she kicked around to prevent the intrusive acts, her mother held down her ankles, she said.
She said he eventually massaged her while clad only in his boxers, and asked her to massage him.
She said the pair showed her obscene videos and had sex in front of her many times.
In August 2017, the man began conducting prayers to "rid" the girl of evil spirits.
After a few sessions, he began performing ritual showers on her at the family's flat.
She said the "ritual" included the man brushing his hand and a lime over her body, and ended with her being told to squat down. She said he then carried out a sexually intrusive act.
A police report was made in November 2017.
On Sept 30, Justice Pang said he accepted the man's testimony that the massage bed was donated to the woman only in late 2013 after the temple closed for renovations, and that he did not begin going to her home until Chinese New Year in 2014.
The judge said there was independent evidence to support the man's claim.
He said this meant two charges of sexual assault that allegedly took place on the massage bed between March 2012 and March 2014 could not have occurred.
As for the four other charges, Justice Pang rejected the prosecution's argument that the man had admitted committing the offences in a statement given to the police.
After viewing a video of the demonstration that the man gave to the police officer, the judge said there was reasonable doubt whether it amounted to an admission of committing a penetrative act.
The judge said the complainant's testimony that the alleged intrusion lasted five seconds was more consistent with the man's contention that he was trying to clean her body.
He was also persuaded by the man's testimony that, given the cramped conditions of the bathroom and the items that he was holding during the showers, it was unlikely that the man had assaulted her.
The judge said there was reasonable doubt as to whether the man had shown pornography to the girl. The man's account was that she had taken his mobile phone and looked at the videos herself.
Given his finding that the man had not committed the various sexual acts, the woman's 12 charges for conspiracy are thus not established, said the judge.
He added that the complainant's recollection of the time period when her mother showed her pornography appeared to be unreliable.
The woman denied that she had done this when her daughter was in Primary 4.
Instead, she said she showed pornography to her daughter when the girl was in Secondary 2 to teach her about sex after the girl opted out of sex education lessons.
The man and the woman, who were represented by Mr Charles Ng and Ms Renee Oei respectively, did not display visible emotions upon being cleared of the charges.
They are no longer in a relationship.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
