Wah, sibei jialat. When you hear stories like this, it really makes you lose faith in humanity.

A 77-year-old Singaporean man is currently standing trial in the State Courts, facing a heavy list of 10 charges—mostly for committing obscene acts with a young person and sexual penetration of a minor (with another three charges temporarily stood down). To put his age into perspective: he is old enough to be the victim’s ah gong (grandfather), yet he is accused of preying on a young girl during one of the most vulnerable periods of her life.

How the Nightmare Began

Back in 2012, the accused was a 64-year-old insurance agent and business owner. The victim’s mother worked for him as his secretary. According to prosecutors, the man had actually been a close family friend since the victim was just a toddler, making his betrayal run even deeper.

When the girl was in Secondary 2 (around 14 years old), her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. With her mother fighting illness and her father busy working, the family desperately needed support. They trusted this “close friend” to help out.

Instead of stepping up honorably, he systematically inserted himself into their lives:

• He was entrusted with fetching the girl and her older sister from school and extracurricular activities.
• He helped renovate the family’s property.
• He even allowed the family to stay rent-free at one of his properties.

Manipulation, Grooming, and Isolation

Prosecutors detailed how the man systematically isolated and groomed the teenager, who had led a sheltered life with few friends.

Initially, the girl didn’t even like him. But as he played the role of a supportive confidante who gave her a listening ear, her guard dropped. From there, the abuse escalated:

• The Lies: He allegedly lied to her, claiming he was only around 40 years old.
• The Grooming: In 2012, while picking her up from school for tuition, he suddenly held her hand in his car. He began texting her constantly and taking her out for meals, eventually kissing her while parked at a reservoir until she became desensitized to his touch.
• The Escalation: The abuse progressed to various locations where he sexually assaulted her and attempted to rape her in a car park. The penetrative acts continued even after she turned 16 in 2014.

By early 2015, while still a student, the girl became pregnant. At the accused’s behest, she underwent a deeply traumatizing abortion in February 2015, with the man accompanying her to the clinic.

Finding the Strength to Speak Up

The illicit relationship finally came to an end when the victim managed to cut ties at the end of 2017. The psychological toll required immense courage to process; in 2019, she sought professional guidance from the AWARE Sexual Assault Care Centre, which eventually led to her lodging a police report.

What Happens Next?

The trial is currently ongoing before Principal District Judge Toh Han Li, with Deputy Public Prosecutors Tay Jia En and Tan Jun Ya leading the case, and the defense represented by Mr Mark Yeo and Ms Amelia Lee from Fortress Law. The prosecution is expected to call five witnesses, with the survivor as their main witness.

To protect the survivor, the court has enforced a strict gag order forbidding the identification of both the accused and the victim.

If found guilty of committing an obscene act with a young person, the accused faces severe penalties, including up to five years in jail, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both per applicable charge, alongside the heavier penalties tied to sexual penetration of a minor.

Final Thoughts

This case is a grim reminder that predators don’t always look like strangers lurking in the dark. Sometimes, they are the trusted “family friends” who exploit a household’s lowest moments for their own sick motives.

Props to the survivor for stepping forward and fighting for justice through an agonizingly long road. It’s a heavy reminder of why we need to talk openly about grooming, boundaries, and supporting survivors.

No eyes see, man. Truly no eyes see.