On April 3, 39-year-old Bangladeshi national Rahman Hafizur was sentenced to five months’ jail after pleading guilty to molesting a 15-year-old boy in a lift. The incident occurred on Oct 16, 2023, when the teenager encountered Rahman in a lift at a Housing and Development Board block.
The court heard that the teen was waiting at the lobby for someone to enter the lift so he could access his friend’s unit on the 10th floor. Rahman, who was pushing a trolley containing an electrical box, scanned his access card and gained entry to the lift. He asked the teen to hand his access card to another construction worker before the two of them proceeded to the 10th floor.
While in the lift, Rahman asked the teenager if he was Muslim, to which he replied in the he was not. Rahman then touched the teen’s chin before extending his hand to touch the teen’s private parts, which can be seen in CCTV footage played in court according to the report.
DPP Emily Koh informed the court that the teen was taken by surprise when Rahman unexpectedly touched his private parts. Rahman then inquired if the teen had been circumcised by asking if he had “cut his skin”. The teen pushed Rahman’s hand away and was left stunned and unable to respond to the man’s question.
After leaving the lift and washing his chin at his friend’s home as he “felt dirty”, the teen decided to confront Rahman about the incident, DPP said in court.
Rahman claimed that it was a “form of joke” and apologized.
The teenager left the scene with his friend and later contacted his older sister for guidance, who advised him to call the police. He then reached out to his uncle, who was nearby and arrived at the location approximately 15 minutes later.
Together, the boy and his uncle searched for Rahman but did not find him on the same floor, only noticing that his belongings were still present. The teen’s uncle then contacted the authorities and reported the assault by the foreign worker who was still completing electrical work on the building’s rooftop.
Rahman was apprehended by the police upon his return to the site.
During his plea for leniency, Rahman, who did not have legal representation and spoke through an interpreter, claimed that the offense was meant as a joke. He expressed remorse for his actions and promised not to repeat them if allowed to remain in Singapore, citing his young son who would suffer if he were incarcerated as the family’s primary provider.
In court, the Deputy Public Prosecutor sought 5.5 to 6.5 months’ jail for Rahman, highlighting the inappropriate nature of the touch in an enclosed space. Rahman could have faced up to three years in jail, a fine, caning, or a combination of these punishments for the offence of molestation.
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