The sentencing hearing for Lim Cheng Kiat, a 73-year-old Singaporean who pleaded guilty to three counts of outrage of modesty, has been postponed to a later date.
According to Today’s report, Lim had targeted young girls between the ages of 13 and 15 at Northpoint City mall in Yishun, with the intention of touching their chests. The victims’ identities are protected by a court order.
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
The incident took place on February 23 of this year. Lim’s first victim, a 15-year-old girl, was walking on basement level two of the mall with a friend when Lim noticed her in her school uniform. He repeatedly turned to look at her before deliberately bumping into her left cheek with his right shoulder. At the same time, he pinched her chest over her blouse before swiftly walking away. The victim, feeling disgusted, reported the incident to a mall staff member who assisted her in making a police report.
According to Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Kiera Yu, after the first incident, Lim proceeded to walk past the second victim, a 13-year-old girl also dressed in a school uniform, on the first level of the mall. Using the same modus operandi, Lim bumped into her from the front with his shoulder while pinching her chest over her blouse. He apologized quickly and walked away before the victim could respond. The shocked girl informed her mother about the incident, and together they reported it to the police.
The third victim, another 15-year-old girl in her school uniform, encountered Lim while buying food at a Subway sandwich shop. As she was looking at the menu, Lim forcefully nudged her left shoulder with his right shoulder and grabbed her chest over her blouse. Without uttering a word, he swiftly exited the shop. Realizing what had happened, the distraught girl immediately confided in her friend and later reported the incident at a police station.
Subsequently, Lim was identified through surveillance footage, leading to his arrest on the same day at 11:11 pm.
During the investigation, Lim admitted to intentionally touching the victims and claimed that these acts were insignificant since he did not rape them. He also confessed to deliberately bumping into each victim to touch their chests while attempting to make it seem like an accident, according to the report.
When given the opportunity to enter a mitigation plea, Lim declined, stating that it would be cowardly and that he was prepared to accept a prison sentence, even death by saying “it is okay to die in prison”.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Kiera Yu emphasized the severity of Lim’s offenses and his lack of remorse, highlighting the need for a deterrent sentence proportionate to his actions. The prosecution requested more time to review a corrective training and preventive detention report, which would aid in determining an appropriate and severe punishment for Lim.
Lim’s sentencing, originally scheduled for May 18, has been rescheduled for June 20.
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