Singapore Court Jails Indian-Origin Man 19 Months for Molesting Friend's Minor Sister

A Singapore court has sentenced a 33-year-old Indian-origin man to 19 months in jail for molesting his friend's minor sister more than a decade ago. Melvinder Singh Gurmit Singh was convicted on two counts of molestation. The offences took place when the victim was between seven and nine years old, while Singh was aged 19 to 21. The victim did not report the abuse at the time, saying she felt nobody would believe her. According to Channel News Asia, as cited by PTI, she later said the molestation affected her ability to give and receive physical affection. She eventually filed a police report in March 2023 after disclosing the incidents to her mother and boyfriend when they separately questioned her. Singh had contested the charges, claiming among other things that the girl had kissed him consensually and that she was taking revenge on him. The prosecution sought a jail term of 20 to 22 months, arguing that Singh had exploited a young victim and abused the trust placed in him by the girl and her family members. The court sentenced him to 19 months in jail. Singh said he will be appealing against his conviction and sentence. For each count of molestation of a minor, he could have been jailed for up to five years, fined, caned, or given any combination of these punishments.