In a recent court case that captured public attention, Abdul Karim Syed Musgooth, a 53-year-old man, found himself at the center of controversy. He was sentenced to one-month imprisonment for molesting a 14-year-old schoolgirl at Clementi Mall, according to Channel NewsAsia.
The Day of the Incident
The incident in question occurred when Abdul Karim was 51 years old and unemployed. He was accompanying his wife for grocery shopping at Clementi Mall.
After purchasing groceries, Abdul Karim requested his wife to proceed to the bus stop while he finished his cigarette. He assured her that he would catch up with her soon.
However, as Abdul Karim moved towards the bus stop with a trolley containing their heavy purchases, a troubling incident unfolded.
While overtaking a young girl in her school uniform on a walkway, he allegedly molested her by touching her backside. The victim later testified that she felt five fingertips squeezing her and was left in a state of shock.
The victim did not remain silent; she confronted Abdul Karim at the scene, pulling down his mask to identify his face. She repeatedly asked him if he had touched her, to which he kept apologizing.
The distressed victim promptly called the police to report the molestation. Meanwhile, she followed Abdul Karim to the bus stop, where she took a photo of him and sent it to her mother.
Abdul Karim’s wife, a warehouse worker, had waited at the bus stop for about 20 minutes before deciding to return to check on her husband.
Upon her arrival, she found her husband in a heated confrontation with the victim, with the victim holding him back. Abdul Karim claimed that the victim had accused him of inappropriate behavior and scolded him with vulgar words.
The Man’s Account
In his testimony, Abdul Karim presented a different version of events. He claimed that he had been pulling the trolley with his left hand and swinging his right hand up and down to maintain balance.
According to him, the trolley occasionally hit the back of his leg, causing pain. He asserted that he was focused on the trolley when his extended right hand accidentally made contact with the victim’s backside.
Abdul Karim maintained that the victim approached him, grabbed his hand, and accused him of molestation. She then used vulgar language and declared her intention to report him to the police.
Interestingly, when shown video footage of the incident, Abdul Karim denied that it showed him squeezing the victim’s buttock.
The Judge’s Findings
District Judge Brenda Tan presided over the trial and made several crucial findings. She regarded the victim as a highly convincing witness who provided a clear account of the offense.
The victim’s testimony was further supported by video footage that showed Abdul Karim closing in on the victim from the left, even though there was ample space on the right.
The footage also depicted his right hand touching the victim, with all five fingers outstretched.
Judge Tan concluded that the prosecution had successfully proven the charge against Abdul Karim and expressed doubt about the accuracy of his testimony.
The victim, according to the judge, felt angry, distressed, and uncomfortable after the incident. Her life was disrupted for months, and she developed a fear of people walking behind her.
Abdul Karim is planning to appeal against his sentence and is currently out on bail.