SINGAPORE, Dec 16 — A 19-year-old former religious teacher admitted in court to committing an indecent act with a 12-year-old girl he met during mosque lessons.
According to a report by The Straits Times, the offender, who cannot be named due to a gag order protecting the victim’s identity, pleaded guilty to one charge of committing an indecent act with a child.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Yohanes Ng told the court the youth became the girl’s new religious teacher in early 2025 and taught her in group classes.
“After one of the religious lessons, (he) spent some extra time with the victim to get to know her better and bought her lunch and some chocolates,” the DPP said.
The girl later told her mother what had happened, and the mosque removed the youth from his post after the mother lodged a complaint.
Despite this, the offender and the girl continued to contact each other secretly and entered into a romantic relationship.
On May 8, he met the victim at a multi-storey carpark, where he kissed her and groped her chest over her clothing.
Five days later, they met again at a staircase landing of a Housing Board block, where he asked her to perform oral sex, but she refused.
She eventually performed another sexual act on him before the relationship ended when others discovered it.
The girl later told her mother about the encounters, and a police report was filed on July 13.
On December 16, the court called for reports to assess the offender’s suitability for reformative training and probation.
Young offenders placed under reformative training are detained in a centre and undergo a strict regimen that includes foot drills and counselling.
The youth will be sentenced in January.
* If you are experiencing sexual violence, the following hotlines offer free and confidential support: Talian Kasih at 15999 or WhatsApp 019-2615999 (24/7); All Women’s Action Society at 016-2374221/016-2284221 (9.30am-5.30pm); and Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) at 03-30008858 or SMS/WhatsApp TINA 018-9888058 (24/7)
