A 56-year-old former bank manager, Sugumaran Kannan, has been sentenced to seven years and five months in prison for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy in a Clementi Mall toilet. The incident occurred on July 13, 2020, when Sugumaran, then 53, and the victim bumped into each other outside a closed MRT toilet. While waiting for the toilet to reopen, Sugumaran made inappropriate comments to the boy, saying he was “feeling horny” due to the cold weather.
The victim, who had left school early to see a doctor for an ear infection, was persuaded by Sugumaran to accompany him to another toilet in Clementi Mall. Once inside the toilet, Sugumaran touched himself and eventually engaged in sexual activity with the boy in a cubicle.
During the trial, Sugumaran denied the charges and claimed that the victim had assaulted him. He alleged that the police had threatened and denied him food, and that his police statements were coerced. However, the judge did not find his allegations credible, citing the video recording of the statement-taking process.
The judge convicted Sugumaran on both charges, finding the victim’s testimony to be reliable and convincing. The judge also noted that Sugumaran’s testimony was “incredible” and that it was “difficult to imagine” how the victim, who was smaller and shorter, could force himself on Sugumaran.
The judge emphasized that the law presumes that a minor lacks the maturity to make appropriate sexual decisions, and that Sugumaran’s lack of remorse and attempts to cast aspersions on the victim’s character during the trial were aggravating factors. Sugumaran’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his crime and the need to protect minors from sexual exploitation.
This case highlights the importance of protecting children and young people from sexual abuse and exploitation. It also underscores the need for adults to respect the boundaries and autonomy of minors, and to refrain from engaging in inappropriate or harmful behavior.