A 71-year-old man, Mohamed Salleh Samad, has been sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for sexually assaulting a 46-year-old woman under the pretext of healing her from “black magic.”
The sentence was handed down on Thursday, January 23, after Salleh pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault, with a second similar charge taken into consideration by the court.
According to CNA, the victim, who had been experiencing stomach bloating and pain, believed her discomfort was a result of “black magic” cast by her ex-husband.
Upon the recommendation of an acquaintance, she sought the help of Salleh, who had previously claimed to provide treatments for various ailments.
The first “ritual” took place at the victim’s home on August 25, 2023, involving a bathing process with water mixed with salt and vinegar.
After the initial treatment failed to alleviate her symptoms, the victim requested a second session, which occurred on August 28.
During the second visit, Salleh arrived at the victim’s home alongside her acquaintance. With her husband and children present, Salleh initiated the “ritual,” instructing the victim to lie on the living room floor while he pretended to touch her stomach and remove nails from his mouth, claiming they belonged to her.
In a calculated move, Salleh asked the acquaintance to leave and also convinced the victim’s family to go out, asserting that he did not want to frighten them.
This maneuver left Salleh alone with the victim, who later reported feeling faint and semi-conscious around 4:45 PM. Taking advantage of her vulnerable state, Salleh sexually assaulted her in the living room.
Upon the acquaintance’s return, Salleh falsely claimed to the victim that he had identified something within her body and sought her consent to remove it, further exploiting her belief in the necessity of the “ritual” to lift the supposed curse.
According to ST report, DPP said, “At this point, the victim was labouring under the misconception… that it was necessary for the accused to (sexually penetrate her) for her to be healed of the ‘black magic’ she was under. She agreed to let the accused remove the ‘item’ from her (body).”
Salleh then led the victim into her bedroom under the guise of continuing the treatment, where he sexually assaulted her again, pretending to extract threads and cotton from her body. After the “ritual” concluded around 6:30 PM, Salleh left the apartment, and the victim later contacted her family.
It wasn’t until the victim confided in a friend that she recognized the gravity of Salleh’s actions, ultimately filing a police report against him.
During police questioning, Salleh admitted that the rituals were a deception and that he had purchased nails and thread to further manipulate the victim.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Joseph Gwee and Grace Teo highlighted the elaborate nature of Salleh’s deception, emphasizing that he intentionally isolated the victim to commit his crime.
They sought a sentence ranging from six years and eight months to seven years and two months, noting that as Salleh is over 50, he cannot be caned, and thus suggested substituting two months of imprisonment for four strokes of the cane.
The defense team, representing Salleh under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, requested a lesser sentence of six to six-and-a-half years, citing his early guilty plea, remorse, and cooperation with authorities.
They said : “Salleh… is elderly and frail, having previously suffered a heart attack… Salleh feels a strong sense of regret and remorse for his actions… This (was also his) first brush with the law, and he does not have any prior antecedents.”
Under Singapore law, the maximum penalty for sexual assault by penetration is a prison term of up to 20 years, along with fines or caning.
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