Man who helped friend sexually assault intoxicated woman jailed and caned

SINGAPORE —A night out of clubbing for a man ended up with three of his male friends taking turns to sexually assault an intoxicated woman they had earlier met at a club.

In an attempt to use a friend’s flat to have sex with the teenage girl, who had taken drugs and alcohol before the incident, Muhammad Nurul Huzaifah Raimy told the friend, B, that he could have his turn with the girl after him.

The friend and the 19-year-old victim cannot be named due to a court gag order as they had known each other since their childhood.

Huzaifah, 23, was sentenced to seven years’ jail and six strokes of the cane on Thursday (20 February) at the High Court after he pleaded guilty to one count of abetting his friend to sexually penetrate the girl. Other unrelated charges, including one charge of rioting and dishonest misappropriation of property, were taken into consideration for his sentencing.

At the time of the offences, Huzaifah was a freelance deliveryman. He was diagnosed with mild mental retardation during investigations into his offences.

The three other men still have their cases pending before the courts.

B was an 18-year-old full time national serviceman at the time of the offence. Now 20, he is accused of sexually assaulting the victim.

The other two men are Nur Irsyad Danial Mohamad Isa, 19, and Muhammad Danial Sharuddin Muhamad Noor, 18, who was a part-time mover at the time of the offence. Both are accused of sexually assaulting and raping the victim.

Irsyad, Sharuddin and Huzaifah were not acquainted with the victim then when they met her on the night of 19 July 2018 at a club in Clarke Quay named Canvas. The victim had consumed hard liquor on an empty stomach and methamphetamine before heading to the club.

Throughout the night, she danced with several persons, including Huzaifah and Sharuddin. During her partying, the victim lost an earring which Huzaifah found for her. He eventually obtained her number and they chatted for a while before parting ways.

At about 3am on 20 July 2018, the victim left the club alone and rested on a nearby bench. The exhausted girl was unable to stand on her own as she was under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Huzaifah’s group saw her at the bench and Huzaifah invited her to his place. She accepted the invitation.

While heading to the taxi stand, Huzaifah and the victim became physically intimate with each other in front of Huzaifah’s friends and Irsyad’s girlfriend.

Huzaifah wanted to have sex with the victim, but he wanted to do so at B’s flat, as the man stayed alone. Huzaifah did not want to return to his flat as he lived with his grandparents, who would not approve of his act.

“He made the offer (of sex with the victim) as an incentive to (B) to let him use the flat, given that (B) was unsuccessful at bringing any girls home from the nightclub. (B) initially expressed reservations, as he was childhood friends with the victim and did not want her to see his face when he committed the acts, but he eventually agreed to the offer,” said Deputy Public Prosecutor Andre Ong.

Huzaifah knew that the victim had only consented to sex with him, but believed that the victim, in her inebriated state, would not be aware if he and B were to swap positions.

The men and the victim proceeded to B’s one-room flat. CCTV footage captured the victim entering an elevator with her head leaning on his shoulder and walking unsteadily.

After washing her feet, the victim fell asleep on her belly. Huzaifah then had sex with her with her consent. The three other man observed them.

When Huzaifah was done, he motioned over B, indicating that it was his turn to have sex with the victim. B then sexually assaulted the victim, who drifted in and out of consciousness during the incident. The victim did not resist as she was unaware that she was being sexually assaulted.

B later washed his hands and left the flat. Irsyad and Sharuddin then sexually assaulted the victim at the same time. Unaware of what was happening, the victim initially reciprocated Sharuddin’s kiss while her eyes were closed, as she mistook him for Huzaifah.

However, she jolted awake when Sharuddin pulled her hair. She felt Sharuddin’s long hair and realised what was happening. But she was unable to stop her attackers as she was pinned down by Irsyad and Sharuddin.

Huzaifah witnessed the acts and did nothing to stop his two friends. After the assaults, Irsyad and Sharuddin fled while the victim rebuked Huzaifah for letting his friends take advantage of her. The victim then said she was going to call the police, and Huzaifah ran from the flat.

B later returned to his flat and found the victim alone and crying. The victim recounted the incident to B, unaware that he had also sexually assaulted her.

She then called the police. B remained with the victim until police officers arrived at about 5.15am on 20 July 2018. About half an hour later, Irsyad and Sharuddin returned to the flat and were arrested. A was arrested later that day.

Huzaifah had remained at large until 24 July 2018 when he was arrested.

In sentencing Huzaifah, Justice Audrey Lim said that he had exploited the victim’s vulnerability and had employed some deception on the victim.

For abetting sexual assault by penetration, Huzaifah could have been jailed up to 20 years, and fined, or caned.

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