SINGAPORE, March 19 — A 26-year-old man was sentenced to one year and three months’ jail and three strokes of the cane today for molesting a girl, then aged 11, who had been kicked out of her home.

Muhammad Fitri Muhammad Hozir Bonawi had found her sleeping at the void deck of Block 146 Bedok Reservoir Road, then took her to a nearby rooftop garden and violated her after she fell asleep there.

The Singaporean pleaded guilty to one charge of molesting a minor. Two other charges, including sexual exploitation of a young person, were taken into consideration for sentencing.

The victim, who is now 12 years old, cannot be named due to a court order to protect her identity.

The court heard that she first ran away from home on January 11 last year as she was not on good terms with her stepmother. She spent her days with friends and slept at the void decks of Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks at night.

Five days later, she decided to sleep at the void deck where Fitri found her. He woke her up and advised her not to sleep there, and also asked why she was there.

She told him that she had been kicked out of her house, so he suggested that she sleep at the rooftop garden at a nearby multi-storey car park. She agreed and followed him.

The garden was deserted when they got there, so they sat down and chatted. She eventually realised that he would be spending the night with her and felt uncomfortable, not daring to fall asleep.

Around 2.30am, she felt hungry and agreed with his plan to have supper at a nearby McDonald’s outlet. 

They went there on his motorcycle before returning to the rooftop garden and going to a nearby basketball court. They lay near each other and chatted.

The girl eventually fell asleep around 6am. Fitri proceeded to molest her and she woke up, telling him to stop.

When he complied, she went back to sleep, but he touched her again. She told him to stop and sat up, deciding she was not going to sleep any longer.

Fitri then hugged and kissed her on the lips, before leaving shortly after.

She confided in a friend and was advised to report the matter to the police. She soon filed a report at Tampines Neighbourhood Police Centre.

Fitri was arrested about a month later on February 3. During investigations, he admitted to his acts and said that the victim told him she was aged around 12 at the time.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Niranjan Ranjakunalan sought the sentence imposed, saying there were aggravating factors such as the degree of deception and premeditation that Fitri had shown, as well as the victim being “particularly vulnerable”.

Fitri’s lawyer Noor Marican said in mitigation that his client was remorseful and it was his first offence. 

For molestation of a minor under 14, he could have been jailed up to five years, fined, caned, or given any combination of the three. — TODAY