SINGAPORE: A man accused of molesting multiple people by grinding against their buttocks cried while asking for bail on Wednesday (Sep 18).
Egyptian national Sameh Mohamed Kamal Farq, 44, said this was his first time committing the offence in Singapore.
He faces two charges of outraging the modesty of two women – a 29-year-old at the McDonald’s outlet at Gardens by the Bay on May 12, and a 23-year-old woman near Marina Bay Sands on Aug 9.
After being charged, Sameh was released on bail but allegedly reoffended with the same modus operandi. He was later remanded in August and is likely to face further charges.
The prosecutor therefore objected to his request for bail – a position that the judge agreed with, citing a potential danger to the public.
Sameh’s counsel applied to be discharged on Wednesday, leaving him to conduct his own bail review application.
He appeared in court via video-link from his place of remand, dressed in prison garb.
He started off by thanking his wife, who has been supporting him and “(feels) my total remorse”.
“This is my first time in this country to do this offence,” said Sameh. “I will be honest with you … to plead guilty. Yes I admit. The two charges – I am man enough to say, I do have very little touch. The other one I am ready to plead guilty. I will not waste the court’s precious time. I am not a man to play around with the court. I can’t cheat the court.”
He later began to cry and said disjointedly: “I am 44 … Every day, I feel … remorse.”
District Judge Lorraine Ho stopped him, saying: “I can understand if you feel remorse. I think you have to understand one thing – this is a bail review application. The question is whether bail should be re-offered. You can plead guilty and feel remorseful, that’s another issue altogether.”
Sameh continued to say his mother had a heart attack because of him and was in the intensive care unit.
“I am not dangerous,” he said. “I never fight back. I follow the protocol. When I’m on bail, I never miss bail time, I never run away.”
Judge Ho said she would not be granting him bail in view of the fresh offences allegedly committed.
“There is an element of danger to the public, and you reoffended whilst on court bail,” said the judge.
He tried again to ask for bail after the decision was made, but the judge told him: “I will not grant you bail.”
Sameh’s case was adjourned to October for a pre-trial conference. If convicted of molestation, he faces up to three years’ jail, caning, a fine, or any combination of these punishments.
