SINGAPORE: A driver who offered to ferry people via an unregulated private-hire platform molested one of his female passengers and obtained the sexual services of another who was under the age of 18.
For his offences, Muhammad Shaharudin Abdul Wahid, 29, was sentenced to one year and four months in prison and two strokes of the cane by the State Courts on Tuesday (May 7).
The delivery driver pleaded guilty to three charges of outrage of modesty and one of obtaining for consideration the sexual services of a person who is younger than 18.
Another three charges of a similar nature, including one of indecent exposure, were taken into consideration for his sentencing.
The victims, then aged 19 and 16, cannot be named to protect their identities.
The first victim, a polytechnic student, had engaged Shaharudin’s services as a driver via a Telegram group chat named “SG Bike Hitch”, an unregulated ride-sharing group.
On Dec 9, 2021, the victim needed to travel from Bedok to Bugis Junction to meet a friend. She made a trip request and offered S$15 (US$11) as the fare. Shaharudin accepted the job.
At about 6.50pm, the accused picked the victim up in a car, with the victim sitting in the front passenger seat.
During the journey, he asked if the woman was open-minded, about her sexual experience and how many ex-boyfriends she had had.
He also asked if she was a virgin, to which the victim said no. She was reluctant to go into detail about her sexual experiences.
About 20 minutes later, as the car approached a drop-off point at Bugis Junction, Shaharudin told the woman that the drop-off point was meant for taxis and proposed that he send her to another one. The victim agreed.
He then touched her thigh.
The victim pushed his hand away and told him to stop. She placed her laptop beside her thigh to block his hand but Shaharudin persisted.
He also molested her underneath her clothing when the car stopped at a red light.
Minutes later, he suggested dropping the victim off somewhere else, but she declined. Still, Shaharudin drove towards Geylang and Guillemard Road.
At the victim’s insistence, Shaharudin agreed to send her back to Bugis Junction, but he exposed himself during the journey.
He then tried to force the woman’s head and hand towards his genitals. The woman’s hand came into contact with his genitals briefly. After this, he molested the shocked victim under her clothing for several more seconds.
The victim was finally dropped off at about 7.21pm, after she paid the fare.
She broke down when she met her friend, who advised her to make a police report. The victim did so the next day.
She also visited the hospital due to pain in her right hand from her struggle with Shaharudin. Mild redness was noted over her wrist and the victim was discharged with medical leave for three days.
OFFERED YOUNGER VICTIM A FREE RIDE
In March last year, Shaharudin preyed on the younger victim. This victim had requested a ride back home from her school via the “Bike Hitch” Telegram group chat, offering to pay S$15. Shaharudin accepted the job.
The victim, dressed in her school uniform, wanted to sit at the back of the car, but Shaharudin made her sit in front.
During the journey, he offered to give her a free ride if she performed a sexual act on him. The victim agreed to his offer and performed the act.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jocelyn Teo argued for a sentence of between 18 and 21 months’ jail and two to four strokes of the cane.
Ms Teo cited Shaharudin’s premeditation as an aggravating factor, since the accused had made a detour and used the lengthened journey to commit his offences on the older victim.
Shaharudin had also used force to compel the older victim into touching him.
In the case of the younger victim, Shaharudin had not asked about her age despite picking her up while she was wearing a school uniform, said Ms Teo.
The penalty for obtaining for consideration the sexual services of a person under 18 is a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both.
For outrage of modesty, Shaharudin could have been jailed for up to two years, fined or caned, or given any combination of these punishments.
