A former mosque officer, who held the role of leading prayers, has been sentenced to nine months in jail for committing indecent acts against a minor in 2014.
The offender, a married man and a former accredited ustaz, or Islamic religious teacher, pleaded guilty to one count of performing obscene acts on the young victim, who was approximately 15 years old at the time.
According to ST report, during a court hearing on March 27, the prosecution detailed the psychological impact of the abuse on the victim, stating, “The victim was emotionally affected and traumatised by the sexual abuse and exploitation by the male family member as well as the accused.”
The court was informed that the victim, who had previously endured sexual abuse by an older male relative from ages nine to 14, suffered from anxiety attacks, attempted suicide, engaged in self-harm, and developed various psychiatric conditions as a result of the trauma.
The events unfolded when the victim began attending religious classes at the mosque at around the age of nine.
The offender joined the mosque in 2014, where he was introduced to the victim, who referred to him as “ustaz.” Their relationship progressed from teacher-student to friends when they connected on Facebook and began communicating online.
In 2014, the two were alone in a room at the mosque when the offender, feeling sexually attracted to the victim, touched the boy’s private parts over his clothing. The victim, feeling disgusted, did not resist the advances, believing he was unable to do so. Similar incidents occurred later that year.
The victim eventually ceased his attendance at the mosque, and the offender left his position there as well.In 2016, the offender attempted to reach out to the victim via Facebook, sending an apology message on May 18. The victim did not respond at that time.
In April 2017, the offender again contacted the victim through Facebook, to which the victim replied, although the details of that communication were not disclosed in court.
The victim’s mental health deteriorated, leading him to seek help at the Institute of Mental Health for the first time on December 29, 2017. He was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and admitted for treatment until January 2, 2018.
Subsequent visits to medical facilities revealed that he was suffering from major depression, panic disorder, and symptoms of anorexia nervosa.
In 2020, the victim learned that the offender had married and started a family. In a significant turn of events, the victim created a burner Instagram account and reached out to the offender’s wife on November 14, 2021, feeling it was important for her to know about the indecent acts committed by her husband.
The offender eventually confessed to the allegations.
The victim filed a police report on May 27, 2022, which led to the offender’s arrest three days later.
Following a thorough review by the Asatizah Recognition Board, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) confirmed that the offender is no longer registered under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme, which is mandatory for religious teachers.
A Muis spokesperson stated, “This decision was made following a thorough review and assessment by the Asatizah Recognition Board.”
The offender’s bail was set at $15,000 on March 27, and he is expected to begin serving his sentence on April 1.
The identities of the victim, the mosque, and the offender are protected under a gag order to safeguard the victim’s privacy.
Image via Google for illustration
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