D
Dian Wei
Guest
Oct 12, 2010
Molester spared fine, jailed
By Selina Lum
A BUSINESSMAN sentenced to a week's jail and fined $3,000 for molesting a hotel trainee had the fine set aside on appeal, but will have to go to prison. Justice VK Rajah upheld the jail term handed down by a district court, but said on Tuesday that he did not see what purpose the fine served. In an unusual move, the appeal judge ordered that half the sum be refunded to the businessman, Udaya Kumar Purushottaman Chembottu, 50, and the other half be given to the victim as compensation.
Under the law, courts can issue compensation orders for victims in addition to other sentences meted out to the offender. Noting that the prosecution has asked for such orders before in maid abuse cases, the judge said he saw no reason why this should not be done in molest cases too. Molest victims have gone through some trauma but are not likely to sue their assailant for damages, he said.
Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.
