SINGAPORE: A 46-year-old cook was sentenced to eight years’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane on Monday (Apr 9) for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy at a coffee shop in Yishun in November 2016.
Samsugani Jahir Hussain, an Indian national, had made friends with the teenager about four months before the assault. They lived in the same public housing estate at Yishun Street 22, the High Court heard.
The victim, who cannot be named due to a gag order, often cycled around the neighbourhood. Samsugani teased the teenager about his weight and would call him “gundu”, meaning “fat" in Tamil.
At about 9pm on Nov 25, 2016, the victim, on his way home, bumped into Samsugani. He told the man his bicycle had a punctured tyre, but that he could not get it repaired because the bicycle shop was closed.
Samsugani told the boy of another bicycle shop in the area, and handed him S$2. The boy repeatedly declined the money, but Samsugani insisted he take it. They parted ways, agreeing to meet at a McDonald’s outlet later that night.
However, the victim decided against going to the bicycle shop. He felt uncomfortable about taking Samsugani’s money and walked back to McDonald’s intending to return the cash.
AdvertisementAdvertisementBut Samsugani did not want to take the money back. He asked the victim to follow him back home. The boy refused, and the pair started to walk back towards the victim’s flat.
They passed a coffee shop at Block 293 Yishun Street 22 on the way, and Samsugani insisted that the victim use the toilet. Though he refused at first, the teenager relented when the man continued to pester him.
However, before the victim could lock the door of the cubicle, Samsugani entered behind him. Without saying a word, Samsugani pulled down the boy’s shorts and sexually assaulted him for 10 to 15 seconds, the High Court heard.
Shocked, the victim dashed out of the toilet and went home. He eventually confided in his grandfather, who called the police. Samsugani was arrested hours later at 4.15am.
In mitigation, Samsugani’s lawyer said he had suffered "a momentary lapse of judgement” and that “he has not previously experienced homosexual desires”. Samsugani is the sole breadwinner, and supports his wife, two children and elderly parents in India, the lawyer said.
Samsugani pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual assault by penetration, for which the mandatory minimum is eight years’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane. Another charge of molesting the same victim was taken into consideration for sentencing.
Let's block ads! (Why?)
More...