Five men, aged between 31 and 63, will be charged in court on 1 March 2024 for their suspected involvement in separate cases of molestation.
The cases are as follows:
- On 5 July 2023 at about 4.55am, a 48-year-old man allegedly molested a 38-year-old woman along Bayfront Avenue. The man will be charged with two counts of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 17 December 2023 at about 3.50am, a 31-year-old man allegedly molested a 31-year-old man at a club along Bayfront Avenue. The man will be charged with two counts of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 27 December 2023 at about 8pm, a 63-year-old man allegedly molested a 28-year-old woman, on board a public bus. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 1 January 2024 at about 3am, a 35-year-old man allegedly molested a 32-year-old woman, at a club along Bayfront Avenue. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
- On 9 February 2024 at about 11.40pm, a 33-year-old man allegedly molested a 44-year-old woman along Temple Street. The man will be charged with one count of outrage of modesty Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871.
The offence of outrage of modesty under Section 354(1) of the Penal Code 1871 carries an imprisonment term which may extend to three years, a fine, or caning, or any combination of such punishments.
Outrage of modesty cases remain a key concern for the Police. The Police treat all reports seriously and will spare no effort to conduct investigations thoroughly and expeditiously, which includes identifying and tracing suspects through follow-up investigations and with the aid of Police cameras and CCTV footage, if they are unknown to the victims. The Police may also place the suspects under arrest for investigations and may prosecute them in court subsequently. The Police have zero tolerance towards sexual offenders who threaten the personal safety of those in the community, and offenders will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law.
The Police will continue to work closely with various stakeholders, such as public entertainment outlets, public transport operators, and the community, to prevent and deter molestation cases. The Police would also like to urge members of the public to remain vigilant and to report the matter to the Police immediately, if they witness an incident of molestation, or are aware of someone being a victim of molestation.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
29 February 2024 @ 7:10 PM