SINGAPORE, Feb 4 — A woman who allegedly urged her daughter to retract accusations in an aggravated rape case involving her stepfather has been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice in Singapore, The Straits Times (ST) reported.
The 34-year-old is accused of telling her daughter that dropping the case would allow them to be “one happy family again”, promising the girl “anything she wanted” if she agreed.
None of the parties can be named due to a gag order protecting the alleged victim.
Court documents cited by ST stated that on Jun 23, 2022, the mother allegedly told her daughter to inform police she had made a false statement about the man, who was then under investigation for aggravated rape.
The following day, she allegedly passed along the man’s own instructions: that the girl should tell prosecutors she wanted to withdraw the case and that her earlier account to police was untrue.
In early 2023, the mother allegedly pressed the issue again.
She is accused of telling her daughter that if she withdrew the allegations, “it would be like (she had given a) false statement to the police, the penalty would only be two years at a ‘girls’ home’.”
She allegedly added that the man would otherwise face “a lengthy imprisonment of roughly 20 to 30 years”.
The court was also told she repeatedly reassured the girl that after serving time in a “girls’ home”, the family could be reunited and “one happy family again”.
The outcome of the man’s original aggravated rape case has not been disclosed.
The woman faces three counts of performing an act that could pervert the course of justice. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for March 11.
Each charge carries a potential sentence of up to seven years’ jail, a fine, or both.
