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Employer who raped maid sentenced to 13 years’ jail, caning
The victim, a Myanmar national, was raped twice by her employer Chin Swee Chung while the latter's wife and children were away on holiday.
SINGAPORE: A 46-year-old man was on Monday (Nov 14) sentenced to 13 years’ jail and 20 strokes of the cane for raping his domestic helper twice in five hours in December 2013, while his wife and children were away on holiday.
Malaysian Chin Swee Chung claimed the Myanmar national, 35, was a willing party. The victim however testified that she cried and struggled to get away but was overpowered by Chin on both occasions.
He was found guilty of two counts of rape in September, after a seven-day trial.
Chin, who worked in Singapore for an alcohol distribution company, returned home in the wee hours of Dec 20, intoxicated after a night out drinking with friends. He called out to the victim, who was asleep, to wake her up and when she emerged from her room – separated from the rest of the house by a curtain – he pulled her into the master bedroom, pinned her down and raped her.
At about 7am, more than four hours after the first rape, Chin woke up to find the domestic helper working in the kitchen. He pulled her into his bedroom and raped her again.
“The victim was forced to undergo the full gamut of emotional turmoil and trauma ensuing from such a visceral violation of her personal integrity not once but twice; the second time was even more cruel, as it was committed with the victim’s full and fresh awareness of what had been done to her only hours earlier,” Deputy Public Prosecutor Kumaresan Gohubalan told the court.
The woman’s friend, whom she called for help after Chin had left the house to go work, said she was crying so hard she was barely able to speak. He told the woman to call the police, which she did. Chin was arrested shortly after.
The prosecution pressed for a sentence of 15 years’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane, citing aggravating factors such as Chin being the woman’s employer. “He was able to gain access to her and prey on her at a vulnerable time – in the wee hours of the morning and with no one around for her to seek assistance from," DPP Kumaresan said.
The helper was “violated in the sanctity of a household she would have regarded as a workplace, shelter and abode”, he added, and by claiming trial to the charges, Chin had forced the woman “to come face-to-face with her rapist, relive the horror of her experiences and to undergo the rigours of cross-examination”.
Chin’s lawyers Sunil Sudheesan and Diana Ngiam argued for the court to sentence Chin to 11 years’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane.
Mr Sudheesan said Chin’s actions are “a massive departure” from his usual self, pointing to several testimonials from colleagues and friends, which “speak consistently of a non-violent man who is hardworking, honest and trustworthy”.
Justice Chan Seng Onn, in sentencing Chin, said while the man’s actions are “reprehensible”, “the manner in which you committed the rape did not involve violence of the type that would have significantly enhanced your sentence”.
Mr Sudheesan said he would be appealing Chin’s conviction and sentence, and the latter is on bail of S$70,000 pending the appeal hearing.
For rape, the 46-year-old could have been jailed for up to 20 years per charge and caned.
The victim, a Myanmar national, was raped twice by her employer Chin Swee Chung while the latter's wife and children were away on holiday.
SINGAPORE: A 46-year-old man was on Monday (Nov 14) sentenced to 13 years’ jail and 20 strokes of the cane for raping his domestic helper twice in five hours in December 2013, while his wife and children were away on holiday.
Malaysian Chin Swee Chung claimed the Myanmar national, 35, was a willing party. The victim however testified that she cried and struggled to get away but was overpowered by Chin on both occasions.
He was found guilty of two counts of rape in September, after a seven-day trial.
Chin, who worked in Singapore for an alcohol distribution company, returned home in the wee hours of Dec 20, intoxicated after a night out drinking with friends. He called out to the victim, who was asleep, to wake her up and when she emerged from her room – separated from the rest of the house by a curtain – he pulled her into the master bedroom, pinned her down and raped her.
At about 7am, more than four hours after the first rape, Chin woke up to find the domestic helper working in the kitchen. He pulled her into his bedroom and raped her again.
“The victim was forced to undergo the full gamut of emotional turmoil and trauma ensuing from such a visceral violation of her personal integrity not once but twice; the second time was even more cruel, as it was committed with the victim’s full and fresh awareness of what had been done to her only hours earlier,” Deputy Public Prosecutor Kumaresan Gohubalan told the court.
The woman’s friend, whom she called for help after Chin had left the house to go work, said she was crying so hard she was barely able to speak. He told the woman to call the police, which she did. Chin was arrested shortly after.
The prosecution pressed for a sentence of 15 years’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane, citing aggravating factors such as Chin being the woman’s employer. “He was able to gain access to her and prey on her at a vulnerable time – in the wee hours of the morning and with no one around for her to seek assistance from," DPP Kumaresan said.
The helper was “violated in the sanctity of a household she would have regarded as a workplace, shelter and abode”, he added, and by claiming trial to the charges, Chin had forced the woman “to come face-to-face with her rapist, relive the horror of her experiences and to undergo the rigours of cross-examination”.
Chin’s lawyers Sunil Sudheesan and Diana Ngiam argued for the court to sentence Chin to 11 years’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane.
Mr Sudheesan said Chin’s actions are “a massive departure” from his usual self, pointing to several testimonials from colleagues and friends, which “speak consistently of a non-violent man who is hardworking, honest and trustworthy”.
Justice Chan Seng Onn, in sentencing Chin, said while the man’s actions are “reprehensible”, “the manner in which you committed the rape did not involve violence of the type that would have significantly enhanced your sentence”.
Mr Sudheesan said he would be appealing Chin’s conviction and sentence, and the latter is on bail of S$70,000 pending the appeal hearing.
For rape, the 46-year-old could have been jailed for up to 20 years per charge and caned.
