Rapist's wife tells victim: Don't say you drank bleach

Rapist's wife tells victim: Don't say you drank bleach

A woman, whose husband raped her teenage niece, told the girl not to tell the doctor that she had consumed bleach because she was distraught over the sex attack.

This was to prevent the husband's crime from coming to light, a district court heard yesterday.

The 47-year-old woman - the girl's paternal aunt - was sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty to preventing the course of justice.

Her 55-year-old husband is now serving a 20-year jail term for raping the girl and other offences.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Michael Quilindo said the woman was asleep in the master bedroom of her Woodlands flat on the afternoon of Dec 20, 2012 when her husband raped the girl, then 14, in the living room.

Distraught over the sexual assault, the teenager drank a solution of water, bleach and soap powder, and began vomiting.

The woman - who is not named so as not to identify her niece - heard her violent retching, and found out from her husband what had happened.

The man dissuaded the woman from taking the girl to hospital, saying it would result in a police report.

The woman then took the girl to a private clinic and told her not to tell the doctor what she drank. A few days later, she gave her niece $50 and asked for another chance to "protect her". The teenager pitied her aunt and did not want to cause problems.

However, the offences came to light in January 2013 when her school counsellor queried her on her lengthy absence from school.

DPP Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz said the adult who ought to have protected the girl chose to silence her.

The maximum punishment for the offence is seven years in jail and a fine.

elena@sph.com.sg


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