[quote="We Sue Men"][size=18]
June 21, 2007
Ex-steward cleared of molestation charges
A FORMER flight steward was cleared on Tuesday of two counts
of
molesting a woman colleague after the court allowed the matter
to
be compounded.
Mr Francis Gerard Han Khai Meng, 34, now an assistant director with
the
People's Association (Now I know what people meant when they
say,
" I am making a 'strategic career move' "...), was charged in March
this
year with two counts of outraging the modesty of the 24-year-old
woman
on board a Singapore Airlines flight on April 26, 2004.
On both counts, he was said to have grabbed her right hand and
placed
it on his private part. He had also earlier been accused of
insulting her
modesty twice that day. It is not known why he was charged only
this
year.
His case was originally fixed for a three-day hearing before
District Judge
Roy Neighbour.
Yesterday, Assistant Public Prosecutor Simran Toor told the court
that the
alleged victim and the accused had agreed on terms for composition
of the
two molestation charges, and the prosecution had no
objection.
As part of the settlement, Mr Han gave $10,000 to the victim
as
compensation, apologised to her in open court, and will publish an
apology
in The Straits Times. He was given a warning on the two charges of
insult
of modesty.
Mr Han was acquitted of these charges after the prosecutor
withdrew
them. The alleged victim, who was in court yesterday, declined
comment.
Outraging of modesty, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal
intimidation
are charges that can be compounded. Composition is the same as
an
acquittal. The alleged victim and prosecution must agree to this
but the
judge has the final say. [/size]
This Han Khai Meng was a Returning Officer in GE2006.
http://www.elections.gov.sg/gazette/20060420f.pdf
So, I think he must have some very good connections.
May be, he is one of the PAP inner circle people?
Who really knows?
Does BigCannonKing's MP knows? Good to have friend,
hah?[/quote]
Earlier, Phey Yew Kok slipped the dragnet of the law. Then came
some influential pianist and high-profile drug offender. Lately NKF
Richard Yong.
It looks like the high-profile offenders can have special corridor
to slip off because they are well connected. The ministers still
want the world to believe their policy to ban public rallies or
free speeches spoken in the course of electioneering is for
maintenance of law and order or rule of law as publicized to the
whole world in the tiff with peaceful WTO demonstrators.
If this is not governing by justification and hypocrisy then what
is?