Lastest development of the case.
ST, April 15
An Indian National accused of abducting and raping a women in a
refuse area said yesterday that he tried to prevent his alleged
accomplice from committing the crime.
V. Murugesan, 28, who is unrepresented, told the court yesterday
that he pleaded with his alleged accomplice, Manikkam, 30, not to
do anything to the 28-year-old woman.
Manikkam, who pleaded guilty to abducting and trying to rape the
woman, has been sentenced to 14 years' jail and 10 strokes of the
cane.
Yesterday, Murugesan said the two of them were returning to a
utility room where they lived with several others on March 4 last
year when Manikkam pointed out the woman, who was vomitting at the
foot of a block of flats in Woodlands Drive 70.
Marugesan said his friend chatted up the woman and put his arm
around her waist.
He said he then pleaded with Manikkam to leave the woman alone, but
he refused.
Manikkam then dragged the woman to a nearby refuse area, and
Murugesan said he tried to stop them from entering, but failed. He
said: "I pleaded with him not to do anything. I said this is the
area I work in. I would be the one in trouble." Murugesan claimed
he tried to prevent the assult by holding Manikkam's hands.
On how his semen showed up on the victim's panties, Murugesan said
he had a premature ejaculation problem. He said that sometimes, he
would get aroused when he spoke to women and would later find his
underwear wet. This is what happened when he saw Manikkan touching
the woman, he said.
He said he might have touched the woman's clothes when he fell to
the floor, after Manikkam pulled him towards the victim.
Both men fled when they heard someone banging on the door of the
refuse centre.
Murugesan denied raping the woman.
The case was adjourned to Tuesday afternoon for submissions.
