A Singapore court has sentenced 33-year-old Melvinder Singh Gurmit Singh to 19 months’ imprisonment after finding him guilty of molesting his friend’s younger sister more than a decade ago.
The offences were found to have occurred when the victim was between seven and nine years old and the accused was 19 to 21. Singh faced two counts of molestation and contested the charges at trial. He told the court the girl had kissed him consensually and alleged she was acting out of revenge.
The victim said she did not report the incidents earlier because she believed nobody would believe her. She told the court the abuse affected her capacity to give and receive physical affection. She filed a police report in March 2023 after separately disclosing the molestation to her mother and to her boyfriend.
Prosecutors had asked for a 20 to 22-month term, saying Singh betrayed the trust of the victim and her family and took advantage of a young child. The court imposed a 19-month sentence. Singh has said he will appeal his conviction and sentence.
Under Singapore law, each count of molesting a minor carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a fine, caning, or any combination of these punishments.
