Nepalese monk gropes woman's breast, gets five months' jail
SINGAPORE — A Nepalese monk who was renewing his visa in Singapore was sentenced to five months’ jail on Tuesday (24 September) for groping a woman's breast.
Tamang Dawa, 42, had drunk six glasses of beer before molesting the 28-year-old woman, who cannot be named due to a gag order.
The court heard that he had entered Singapore on a tourist visa on 6 July this year. He came here to renew his Visa to travel to Taiwan for a worship.
Five days after his arrival, the monk walked past a makeshift table outside New Cathay Hotel in Geylang at about 11.28pm. The victim was selling wares at the table, and gestured for him to come over.
The monk approached, and as the woman bent over while addressing Dawa, he groped her breast.
The woman immediately swiped his hand away and shouted to a man who was seated a short distance away from her. Her shouts also attracted the attention of another passer-by.
After she told them what happened, both ran after the monk, who had walked away, and subsequently detained him.
Actions ‘out of character’, says defence lawyer
The monk apologised and offered to compensate the woman but she refused. Two police officers came across the group and arrested him.
Dawa later revealed that he had drank six glasses of beer at a nearby coffeeshop with his friend before the incident.
Acting for the monk, who pleaded guilty to one count of molest, lawyer Josephus Tan said that the touch was fleeting and that his actions were wholly out of character.
"Dawa is a travelling monk who often comes to Singapore to read scriptures at the various Buddhist temples here. This is part of his pilgrimage,” said the lawyer.
"Dawa therefore sincerely regrets his actions which took place nearby to the temple that he was then residing at.”
Rebuked himself for disgrace
The monk has since rebuked himself for the disgrace he brought to his Nepalese master monk and his values, Tan told the court.
"Dawa certainly did not come to Singapore or go out of his way just for the purpose of committing (sexual) crimes,” he added.
The lawyer asked for no more than five months' jail and no caning.
On the other hand, Deputy Public Prosecutor Ashraf Hassan sought a six-month jail term with no caning, as there was intrusion on the woman’s private part and the monk was intoxicated.
Molest carries a sentence of up to two years jail, or with a fine or caning, or any combinations of the punishment.
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