Senior public servant denies molesting 2 colleagues on 9 occasions
SINGAPORE — A 66-year-old senior public servant appeared at the State Courts on Monday (10 February) to deny molesting two colleagues on nine occasions in 2016.
The man who held a director position in a statutory board in the educational sector allegedly committed the offences at his workplace in Singapore as well as on work trips to the Philippines, Myanmar and Vietnam.
The alleged victims are a 43-year-old and 55-year-old woman. No details leading to the identification of the victims can be published.
The trial began on Monday in-camera with one of the victims taking to the witness stand.
Molested first victim overseas
According to his charges, the man allegedly caressed the older victim’s right arm in a circular motion in Manila in February 2016.
In May, he purportedly hugged and kissed her left shoulder in Ho Chi Minh City.
The next month, at their Singapore workplace, the man hugged the victim so tightly such that her breasts pressed against his body.
And in Yangon in December, he allegedly linked his left arm over her right arm, placed his left hand on the middle of her upper thigh and took her right hand and placed it on his thigh.
Repeatedly hugged second victim
In March 2016, the man hugged the younger victim “very tightly” for about two to three seconds at their workplace.
On three separate occasions between May and August, he hugged her so tightly such that her breasts pressed against his body. On one of those occasions in June, he also squeezed her buttocks.
In June, the man also pressed his penis against the victim’s right arm.
The trial continues.
If found guilty of using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a woman, the man faces up to two years’ jail and a fine per charge.
Public servants on duty overseas whose action there would have constituted a crime under Singapore law can be punished for it here.
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