A Singapore court sentenced a 46-year-old man to 13 years in jail and ordered to be given 20 strokes of the cane on Monday after he was found guilty of raping his domestic help in the absence of his wife and children.
The accused, a Malaysian identified as Chin Swee Chung, raped the 35-year-old victim who was of Mayanmar origin twice in five hours in December 2013 while his wife was away on holiday with their children.
According to The Straits Times, the victim called her friend on 20 December to narrate her traumatic experience and asked him to inform the police. She said Chin, who used to work in an alcohol distribution company, raped her after waking her up when he returned drunk after a night of drinking. Moreover, when he woke up around four hours later, he sexually assaulted the maid again.
"The victim was forced to undergo the full gamut of emotional turmoil and trauma ensuing from such a visceral violation of her personal integrity not once but twice; the second time was even more cruel, as it was committed with the victim's full and fresh awareness of what had been done to her only hours earlier," said Deputy Public Prosecutor Kumaresan Gohubalan e hearing, as reported.
The trial
While Chin claimed that the victim did not refuse his approach and participated willingly in the sexual act, the woman said she cried and struggled vehemently but was overpowered by him.
Meanwhile, Chin's lawyers tried to reduce his punishment to 11 years' jail and 12 strokes by arguing that his client's actions were "a massive departure" from his usual self, reported the news website.
However, the prosecution lawyer claimed that the accused took advantage of the vulnerable time when the victim had no one to help her. The helper was "violated in the sanctity of a household she would have regarded as a workplace, shelter and abode", said Kumaresan.
In Singapore, one can be jailed for up to 20 years if found guilty of rape charges.
