A 22-year-old foreign exchange student at the National University of Singapore (NUS) found himself in hot water after getting drunk and molesting a waitress at the Marquee club.
A Night Out Takes an Unfortunate Turn
The story begins with Butt Muhammad Abdullah, a Pakistani student who is a Denmark permanent resident and in Singapore on a 5-month student exchange programme with NUS on a student pas, according to Channel NewsAsia.
He was out with his friends at Marquee Singapore on 2 September.
It was around 2:50 am when Butt decided it was time to leave the nightclub and return to his hostel, accompanied by a friend.
As he made his way out, a 30-year-old waitress passed by to clear his table. In a shocking turn of events, Butt extended his hand and inappropriately touched the waitress’s behind.
Immediate Confrontation and Legal Action
The victim immediately confronted Butt about his unacceptable behavior. She took the matter into her own hands and brought it to the attention of the security staff at Marquee. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the nightclub’s security promptly involved the police.
Upon their arrival, the police arrested Butt Muhammad Abdullah. The evidence against him was further substantiated by the presence of CCTV footage, which clearly captured his actions.
Legal Proceedings and Consequences
The prosecution sought a fine ranging from S$4,000 to S$5,000 for his actions. They emphasized his lack of prior criminal record and the fact that the inappropriate touch was of a fleeting nature and occurred over clothing, not intruding on private parts.
In his defense, Cathy Pereira, the defense lawyer, shed light on Butt’s background. He was in Singapore for just a month at the time of the incident, participating in an exchange program with NUS Business School.
Ms. Pereira highlighted that this was the first time Butt had consumed a significant amount of alcohol, having only drunk once before. His judgment had been severely impaired due to the seven drinks he had that night.
Expressing deep remorse, Butt claimed that he had acted impulsively and promised never to consume alcohol again.
With four nights already spent in custody, Ms. Pereira requested a reduced sentence of a S$1,500 fine with an additional four days of jail time in case he couldn’t afford to pay the fine.