SINGAPORE: A 33-year-old Indian-origin man was sentenced to 19 months' jail by a Singapore court for molesting his friend's minor sister over a decade ago.
The crime took place over the years when the victim was seven to nine years old, and Melvinder Singh Gurmit Singh was 19 to 21 years old.
Singh had contested two counts of molestation, claiming among other things that the girl had kissed him consensually and that she was taking revenge on him.
The girl had not disclosed the offences earlier as she felt nobody would believe her, but said the molestation impacted her ability to give and receive physical affection, reported Channal News Asia.
She finally lodged a police report in March 2023 after revealing the molestation to her mother and boyfriend when they separately questioned her.
The court convicted Singh and sentenced him to 19 months' jail.
The prosecution had sought 20 to 22 months' jail for Singh, saying he had exploited a young victim and abused the trust placed in him by the victim and her family members.
Singh said he will be appealing against his conviction and sentence.
For each count of molestation of a minor, he could have been jailed for up to five years, fined, caned, or given any combination of these punishments.