Subramaniam Thaburan Rangasamy, a 50-year-old encik with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), holding the rank of a first warrant officer, was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment yesterday (1 February) for engaging in an obscene act with a 15-year-old girl at a multistorey carpark staircase, according to The Straits Times.
Subramaniam was suspended from all of his duties in the army after being arrested by the police. The incident has also prompted a potential discharge from service, pending further actions by SAF after court hearings.
The victim cannot be named because of a court order protecting her identity as she was 15-year-old at the time of the incident.
The Encounter
The encounter began on 6 December 2021 when Subramaniam and the girl coincidentally met at a multi-storey carpark.
The girl, seeking privacy for an online meeting with her school counsellor, was about to have the meeting at 11 am and went to the carpark due to others being present at home. Subramaniam, who was leaving for work on his motorcycle, came to her aid when she fell and hit a door.
Grateful for his assistance, the girl returned with a can of chrysanthemum tea, leading to an intimate encounter at the fourth-floor staircase of the carpark about an hour later.
The girl then performed as obscene act on him and Subramniam then tried to reciprocate an obscene act on her but failed, and they then parted ways.
Despite exchanging numbers and continuing contact via WhatsApp, the subsequent messages did not contain any explicit content.
Legal Ramifications
The legal implications for Subramaniam are severe. For penetrating a minor below 16, an offender can face imprisonment for up to 10 years and fines. The girl, feeling taken advantage of, made a police report on Dec 8, 2021.
A Ministry of Defence (Mindef) spokeswoman stated that SAF would take further actions after court hearings, emphasizing the possibility of discharging Subramaniam from service. Subramaniam has already been suspended from all duties following his arrest.