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Religious teacher who molested student as part of 'black magic' cure jailed 16 months

The 73-year-old had earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of outrage of modesty and will start his jail sentence on 15 May.
According to court documents, the teacher was accredited under the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore’s Asatizah Recognition Scheme. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

SINGAPORE — A religious teacher who fondled an adult female student’s breasts under the guise of “curing” her of “black magic” was jailed 16 months on Thursday (11 April).

The 73-year-old had earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of outrage of modesty and will start his jail sentence on 15 May. He cannot be named to protect the 36-year-old victim’s identity.

Victim treated teacher like a grandfather

According to court documents, the teacher was accredited under the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore’s Asatizah Recognition Scheme. He conducted religious classes at various mosques around Singapore and had known the victim as well as her family for about 10 years.

Sometime in 2015, the victim wanted to improve her recitation of the Quran and her mother approached the teacher for help. He started teaching the victim and her 33-year-old friend every Saturday afternoon at a mosque in central Singapore.

The two women were the teacher’s only students for the class and both would address him as ustaz, the Arabic term for religious teacher. As the victim regarded the teacher as she would a grandfather, she would also kiss his hand out of respect – a practice normally reserved for family members.

Suspicions of ‘black magic’

On 19 August 2017, the victim and her friend attended the class as usual. The victim was nervous about her upcoming test for a motorcycle licence and asked the teacher for “blessing water” to drink before the test.

The victim also told the teacher that someone might have used black magic on her because of a grudge. He suggested that this was the cause of her inability to conceive despite being married for nine years.

The teacher then asked the victim to sit beside him and roll up her sleeves so he could examine her lower arms. He pointed to her veins and said that blood was not flowing properly as it was blocked.

“The accused said he treated the victim like a daughter and wanted to help cure her by chasing the jinx away. To that end, the accused told the victim to bring a knife and lime to class the next week. The accused also told the victim not to tell her family what he had told her,” said Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Imaduddien.

The teacher and students then resumed their class as per normal.

Victim shocked by teacher’s ritual

On 26 August, the victim brought a knife and a lime with her to class. During the lesson, the teacher said that one of her in-laws might have “done something” to her.

“This person allegedly did not like the victim because they had wanted to matchmake the victim’s husband with another woman, but could not do so because he was married to the victim. The accused said that he could show this by using the knife and the lime,” DPP Imaduddien told District Judge Carol Ling.

The teacher then cut the lime with the knife, rubbed the lime on the victim’s palms, and asked her to look at the veins on her arms. But the victim and her friend could not see anything unusual.

Undeterred, the teacher said there was “something” in the victim which had been there for some time which was preventing her from conceiving. He told her that he would get rid of the “thing” that was in her.

The teacher told the victim’s friend to switch off the lights at the back of the classroom and to leave. He told her to keep a lookout outside and not let anyone in.

The teacher then brought the victim to a corner at the back of the classroom. He stood opposite her and told her to lift up her blouse, singlet and bra.

As the teacher fondled the victim’s breasts, he muttered something under his breath. He also told her to put her hands underneath his shirt and to similarly fondle his nipples.

Shortly after doing so, the victim came to her senses. She pushed the teacher away and pulled her clothes back down over her body. She then told him that what they were doing did not feel right and that her friend should be in the room.

“The accused remained very calm and asked the victim why she was being like this when he was trying to help her,” said DPP Imaduddien.

The teacher again tried to convince her that there was “something” inside her. He cut the lime another time and said the fact that there were no seeds in the fruit showed that she had been partly cured. He pointed to her veins and claimed that blood was now flowing properly.

The teacher then called the victim’s friend back into the foom and they continued with the class. When the lesson ended, the teacher told the victim not to tell her family about the incident.

Victim sought ‘second opinion’

Confused by what had taken place, the victim did not confide in her friend at first. Seeking a second opinion, she visited a homeopathy clinic in eastern Singapore, and was told that there was nothing wrong with her.

Realising that she had been deceived, the victim told her friend about what happened in the classroom. She then made a police report.

Asking for a 16-month jail sentence, DPP Imaduddien pointed out that there was premeditation involved in the offence.

Meanwhile, defence lawyer Gino Hardial Singh asked for 11 months’ jail, saying that the crime had been committed on impulse and on the spur of the moment.

In mitigation, Singh said the teacher is in poor health with a litany of ailments including coronary artery disease, diabetes, cervical spondylosis, spinal stenosis, dysthymia, and peripheral neuropathy.

The teacher had also made valuable contributions to the Muslim community, including leading Hajj courses and trips, the lawyer added.

The maximum punishment for molestation is up to two years’ jail, along with a fine and caning. Only male offenders below the age of 50 are liable for caning.

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