Award Banner
Award Banner

Man on trial for allegedly raping wife; first case since Singapore repealed marital immunity for rape

Man on trial for allegedly raping wife; first case since Singapore repealed marital immunity for rape
The case is believed to be the first marital rape trial after immunity for husbands was repealed with effect from Jan 1, 2020.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Dennis Palit

SINGAPORE — A 42-year-old man who lived apart from his wife went on trial in the High Court on Jan 21 for allegedly raping her at the place where he lived.

Prosecutors said that after forcing the woman to spend the night with him, the man took her back to her place.

After his arrest, the man admitted to the sexual acts but claimed that they were consensual.

The prosecution said she did not consent to have sex with the man because she was put in "fear of injury" at the time.

The sexual acts took place after the man had physically assaulted the woman and threatened to hurt her with a metal rod, said prosecutors.

The case is believed to be the first marital rape trial after immunity for husbands was repealed with effect from Jan 1, 2020.

A gag order prohibits the publication of any details leading to identification of both the woman and the man, as well as the location where the incident took place.

Both of them are foreigners who work in Singapore.

The woman lived in a flat provided for by her employer, while the man lived elsewhere.

He faces a total of nine charges relating to the incident, which took place in November 2020.

He is contesting six charges in the current trial — two for aggravated rape, one for attempted aggravated rape, one for voluntarily causing hurt, one for aggravated outrage of modesty and one for criminal intimidation.

Three other charges, comprising two counts of voluntarily causing hurt and one count of possession of obscene films, have been stood down for now.

The couple had been living apart at their respective accommodations and had met up on two occasions to go to a hotel for sex, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Alan Loh.

On the morning of Nov 8, 2020, the man asked to meet with his wife to pass her a gift.

She initially declined. But the man showed up at the void deck of her flat, and she went down to meet him.

At the void deck, the couple had a heated quarrel after the woman rejected his present.

An altercation between them ensued, which resulted in the man snatching the woman's mobile phone.

The woman then removed her nuptial chain from her neck and threw it on the floor.

He then took her on his motorcycle to his place. After arriving there at about 12.45pm, he entered the place via a side door and opened the roller shutters for her.

Read Also
singapore
Man who told ex-girlfriend he raped her 'for her own good' gets jail, caning

After she stepped in, he lowered the shutters.

The couple then had an argument. It is not disputed that the man slapped her left cheek.

He then showed her a pornographic video on his tablet, and commented that the woman in the video looked like her.

Setting out their case against the man in its opening statement, the prosecution said that despite the woman's misgivings, she heeded her supervisor's advice to follow her husband back to his place to resolve their dispute amicably.

The prosecution alleged that the man had locked the side door and roller shutters to prevent the woman from escaping.

The prosecution also accused him of slapping the victim twice, causing her to fall and chip her tooth, and her mouth to bleed.

The prosecution alleged that the man picked up a metal rod and threatened to stab the woman with it.

Out of fear, she told him she would do whatever he asked her to, said the prosecution.

The man then allegedly raped her.

The couple exited at about 6.10am.

He took her back to her place on his motorcycle.

At about 7am, she called the police to report that there had been an incident between her and her husband.

The man was arrested for rape on Nov 10.

DPP Loh said in his opening statement that the woman did not consent to sex with the man.

The woman was "labouring under fear of injury" and under the law, consent given under fear is not valid consent, said the prosecutor.

The man is defended by a team led by Shashi Nathan under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme.

Read Also
singapore
Woman threatens to accuse husband of rape, kill him in his sleep

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.

homepage

trending

trending
    Singapore deploys 34-member emergency medical team to aid Myanmar quake relief efforts
    PPP's Goh Meng Seng says MPs work 'extra hard' only before elections for votes, Baey Yam Keng hits back
    Singapore disappointed with tariffs, will engage US to clarify calculations: DPM Gan
    Online voting not feasible due to 'voter impersonation' risks: ELD
    'She should be with her family': Employer gives maid plane ticket, $800 to return to Myanmar and search for missing mum
    'Blessed beyond measure': Desmond Tan and wife expecting second child
    Gossip mill: Chantalle Ng dating longtime friend, ex-TVB actress now sells chicken feet, Leslie Cheung's partner pays tribute on his 22nd death anniversary
    Probe finds former Smap idol Masahiro Nakai committed sexual assault, victim says 'What I've lost will never be recovered'
    Woman rescued from top of overhead bridge near Nex mall, detained under Mental Health Act
    MaNaDr admits to lapses, introduces 1-minute minimum teleconsultation rule
    How this Singaporean went from volunteer to CEO of a non-profit
    New bus interchanges in Woodleigh and Pasir Ris to open in late April

Singapore

Singapore
    • 'Don't cheat, don't be greedy': Elderly couple in their 90s share secret to longevity with DPM Heng in viral clip
    • Singaporean girl, 15, who wanted to fight for ISIS is first female teen to be given ISA restriction order
    • 'He needed something to help him fight,' says man who bought Hokkien mee for dying patient
    • MOH to allocate $800m for active ageing centres as part of new initiatives to improve seniors' access to activities
    • Clean-up underway for oil leak from Johor; public advised to avoid water activities at Changi and Pasir Ris beaches
    • 19 years' jail for mum who abused 4-year-old girl, whose body was burned after she died
    • Shanmugam's views on Israel-Palestine conflict 'sharply different' from that of former NMP Calvin Cheng's
    • GE2025: WP's likely replacement for Raeesah Khan outlines plans for improvements in Sengkang
    • Vivian says he did not 'like' FB post offering to relocate Singaporeans to Gaza; Meta investigating
    • Sports car driver allegedly high on laughing gas arrested on Orchard Road

Entertainment

Entertainment
    • Gossip mill: Diana Ser's son to enlist, Takeshi Kaneshiro back after 3 years, agency says late Sulli wasn't forced to film nude scene
    • 'I was right there just 3cm behind her': Exo's Kai recalls joys of simple life during military service, meeting commuter checking him out online
    • E-Junkies: The Click Five will consider making new music if upcoming tour goes well
    • Former NCT idol Lucas to make acting debut in Taiwan
    • Jim Carrey pays tribute to Val Kilmer's 'grace and courage'
    • Val Kilmer reportedly discussed reprising his role as Batman before his death
    • Sum 41 releases final music video before splitting up
    • Brad Pitt to return for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood follow-up on Netflix

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
    • A first look: Blue Bottle Coffee's cafe at Raffles City, here's what to expect
    • 'The menu is a reflection of us': Singaporean woman and American husband open restaurant selling soul food
    • Life after death: Guide to be launched to help parent caregivers plan for autistic children's future
    • Tea, drums and rangoli: These stewards of culture and heritage are being honoured for preserving tradition in Singapore
    • What to do this weekend (April 4 to 6)
    • Long-range cruiser: GAC E9 luxury MPV with over 1,000km of range now in Singapore
    • Deepal officially arrives in Singapore with opening of new showroom
    • We ask parents how they keep their children's screen time low - here's the lowdown
    • The best new-launch condo layouts we've seen so far in 2025
    • Where to find 999-year landed homes by the sea in Singapore: Touring Ponggol 24th Avenue

Digicult

Digicult
    • A $500 wake-up call: How the Samsung Galaxy Ring made me realise my stress
    • Monster Hunter Wilds producer explains how game has remained unique and fresh over 20 years
    • Nintendo Switch 2 to launch in June with US$449.99 price tag
    • Games in April: RPGs, racing and Ronaldo in a fighting game
    • Is it time to get a MacBook at a good price? The M4 MacBook Air says yes
    • China's Baidu launches 2 new AI models as industry competition heats up
    • China's top universities expand enrolment to beef up capabilities in AI, strategic areas
    • International Women's Day: Meet the Singapore women levelling up in gaming
    • US indicts slew of alleged Chinese hackers, sanctions company over spy campaign
    • Meet the women powering innovation in tech in Singapore and beyond

Money

Money
    • Giant deal: Malaysian company to acquire Cold Storage and Giant supermarket chains in Singapore
    • Trump's tariffs provoke trade war threats, fears of pricier iPhones
    • Australia says US tariffs 'not act of a friend' but rules out reciprocal move
    • South Korea's acting president calls for talks with US over tariffs
    • Southeast Asian nations, hit particularly hard by US tariffs, prep for talks with Trump
    • China urges US to immediately lift tariffs, vows retaliation
    • Trump's tariffs stoke global trade war as China and EU vow response
    • HDB to launch 3,000 balance flats in July 2025: What homebuyers need to know
    • With 61 years left on its lease, this Bishan maisonette matches national record at $1.5m
    • Why are homebuyers choosing pricier new launch 2-bedders over resale options in 2025?

Latest

Latest
  • What happens next after South Korea's removal of President Yoon?
  • Driver of car in Amsterdam explosion may have been attempting suicide, police say
  • Netanyahu may visit US next week, Trump says
  • South Korea's impeached President Yoon faces court ruling to decide his fate
  • Putin envoy Dmitriev sees 'positive dynamic' in US-Russia relations
  • Trump's team advising against call with Putin until he agrees to full ceasefire
  • South Korea tightens security ahead of Yoon impeachment ruling
  • Myanmar earthquake toll crosses 3,000; heat and rains fuel disease risk
  • Israel steps up Syria strikes, says Turkey aims for 'protectorate'

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It
  • Thai woman struggles to evacuate during earthquake while her dog sleeps unfazed
  • Workers painting exterior of Geylang block discover man's skeletal remains in flat
  • 'New, younger' PAP team vows to reclaim WP-controlled Sengkang GRC, says Lam Pin Min
  • New face Jackson Lam 'very good on the ground' and will be asset to Parliament, says Shanmugam
  • Woman who publicised tips on how she evaded GST for luxury purchases fined $18k
  • Powerful quake in Southeast Asia kills several, 81 trapped in Bangkok building rubble
  • Dog dies after being skinned alive in Malaysia, animal welfare group condemns 'barbaric' act
  • Blue for seafood, red for meat: Case partners Koufu to have colour-coded price labels at 'cai fan' stalls
  • WP will campaign for 'responsible and loyal opposition' in GE2025 to earn seats in Parliament, says Pritam
This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.