A 37-year-old man gave a lift to his colleague, as she became late to reach office. But the foreman molested her in a site office, which is located at Tanjong Pagar Terminal Complex.
According to reports the accused hugged the 31-year-old woman, unhooked her lingerie and then grabbed her chest inappropriately at the Keppel Road area on Aug 12, 2015, at around 8.10 pm.
The unnamed man was convicted Monday, for his offence and sentenced to nine months of imprisonment. The convict is now on $10,000 bail and his appeal against this conviction is pending.
During the court hearing, the judge came to know that on the day of the offence the female victim had already informed the accused that she will take time to reach office.
When she met the accused at PSA Vista, the man offered a lift and drove her to the Tanjong Pagar Terminal Complex. When the victim reached the location no one was at that office. After some time the man went to the site office and chatted with the woman.
Later, he received a called from logistics department regarding a vessel delivery. When the woman, took her bag, as she was deployed to the crane, suddenly the accused hugged her from the back and turned her face towards him.
The woman pushed the man away. When she asked the man that why he did it with her, the accused replied that he wanted to have sex with her. Even when the woman asked him to hook her bra back on, he started to touch her chest. However, he released the woman when she denied again.
The victim told during the court hearing that she was blank when all of these were happening. She was confused and had no idea how to react at that moment. But she made a phone call to her mother after the incident and tried to described what happened to her.
Reports stated that the accused told the court that it was an encouragement hug and nothing more than that. He also denied that he molested his colleague.
The accused also said in his defence that the offence never happened because the site office where alleged molestation took place, was unlocked. So anyone could have entered or looked into the office premises without any obstruction.
However, if the man found guilty of "Outrage of Modesty", the convict could face a jail term of up to 2 years, or a fine, or with caning, or a combination of the abovementioned punishments.
When "a victim's private parts or sexual organs [were] intruded", as per the Penal Code, the guilty has to face nine months of imprisonment with caning.
