SINGAPORE: A part-time cleaner was jailed for five
years and ordered to be given eight strokes of the cane for
molesting a young boy.
Desiyantoh Zainal, was naked from the waist down
when he grabbed the 10-year-old and molested him at an HDB
staircase landing in Bukit Batok on March 15.
He had approached the boy and his eight-year-old
cousin at a staircase landing of the block of flats before asking
them their names. Failing to get a reply, Desiyantoh grabbed hold
of his victim's left arm and pulled the boy towards him just as he
was about to run away.
He then restrained the youngster and outraged his modesty.
Assistant Public Prosecutor Jayarajan GK said that the 27-year-old
Desiyantoh had been convicted of similar offences in the
past.
He was fined S$2,000 in 2004 for exposing himself in public. Three
years later, he was sentenced to three years' jail and five strokes
of the cane for the same offence as well as molest.
APP Jayarajan said that Desiyantoh "had not learnt his lesson" and
pressed for a jail term of up to six years plus caning. Defence
counsel, Sunil Sudheesan, however pleaded for a "non-crushing
sentence", saying that the offence was not pre-meditated.
The lawyer added that in the past ten to twelve years, his client
had issues with sexual offences which were "not exactly
natural".
To address the problem, Mr Sudheesan said that Desiyantoh's medical
report could be sent to the prison authorities so that he can be
counselled by psychiatrists within the facility.
-CNA/ac