by Elena Chong
A MAN accused of raping a young woman he met at a club told a
district court on Monday that he had sex with her with her
consent.
Ong Mingwee, 28, who helps run a family minimart business in Toa
Payoh North, denied raping the 22-year-old woman in the flat in the
early hours of Feb 12, 2009.
He said he neither forced her to have sex with him nor did he
tell her that she could not go home unless she had sex with
him.
Ong had met the woman for the first time at Zouk earlier when he
went clubbing with his elder brother. He was introduced to the
woman, who danced with him that night. When the club closed, he
offered to take her home. He claimed that while they were in the
taxi, they started kissing and she agreed to go his place.
In the flat, he took her to his room while he went to ease
himself and have a smoke. When he returned, he heard her cry,
saying she was scared and wanted to go home. Shocked, he tried to
calm her down and assured her that he would not harm or hurt her in
any way.
The court heard earlier that the woman called her mother and her
girlfriend, who had been with her earlier at Zouk, telling them she
was scared and wanted to go home. But she had no idea where she
was. If convicted Ong faces a jail term of up to 20 years and a
fine or to caning.
