5-9-2023 (SINGAPORE) In a harrowing case of abuse, a 45-year-old domestic worker endured five months of sexual assault at the hands of her employer before bravely deciding to leave the flat. The situation escalated when the employer’s brother called the police in an attempt to prevent her from leaving. Upon their arrival, the Indonesian woman disclosed to the officers that she had been sexually assaulted by her employer.
The employer, Tan Jeck Tuang, 69, was promptly arrested on the same day. Recently, he appeared in the High Court where he pleaded guilty to one count each of rape and outrage of modesty, resulting in a 15-year prison sentence. Additional charges of outrage of modesty and sexual assault by penetration were also taken into consideration during the sentencing process. These abhorrent acts were committed between November 2020 and March 2021.
During the sentencing, Justice Aedit Abdullah remarked that Tan had treated the victim as a mere object of sexual gratification. The judge emphasized the vulnerability of the victim due to the power imbalance between her and the perpetrator. Furthermore, Justice Abdullah ruled that there was no need for a gag order to protect Tan’s identity, as it was unlikely that revealing his name would lead to the identification of the victim. Tan’s defense lawyer pleaded for leniency, taking into account his client’s advanced age and requesting a sentence that would not equate to a life term.
However, Justice Abdullah rejected the notion that Tan’s age warranted a reduced sentence, stating that committing offenses that warrant imprisonment until death is not a wise choice for those who wish to avoid dying behind bars.
The victim had started working at Tan’s flat, which he shared with his sister, in August 2020. Her primary responsibility was to provide care for Tan, who had been diagnosed with vascular dementia in June 2020. Vascular dementia is a degenerative condition characterized by memory loss, declining intellectual abilities, and changes in personality, caused by reduced blood supply to the brain due to damaged blood vessels.
On November 7, 2020, Tan asked the victim to prepare his meal while he remained in his room. After finishing his food, he summoned the victim back into his room to collect the plate. It was at this point that Tan grabbed the victim’s hand and uttered the word “sleep.” Overwhelmed, the victim felt weak, helpless, and on the verge of fainting. Tan proceeded to kiss her, lift her shirt, and engage in various sexual acts without her consent. When the victim regained consciousness, she confronted Tan, who simply apologized and expressed his enjoyment of her body. The victim felt a deep sense of shame and disgust following the incident and chose to retain her stained shirt as evidence. Subsequent DNA analysis confirmed the presence of Tan’s semen on the garment.
Between February and March 2021, Tan instructed the maid to check the refrigerator for available meat. Seizing this opportunity, he approached her from behind and repeated the command to “sleep.” Once again, the victim experienced overwhelming weakness and helplessness. Tan forcibly dragged her to a chair and coerced her into performing oral sex.
On April 11, 2021, the maid made the decision to leave the flat, expressing her refusal to continue working for Tan. In response, Tan’s brother lodged a police report seeking assistance. Following Tan’s arrest, the victim underwent assessment at the Institute of Mental Health, where she was diagnosed with major depression resulting from the sexual assaults.
Deputy public prosecutors Theong Li Han and Quek Lu Yi sought a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment, highlighting the significant mental trauma endured by the victim as a direct consequence of Tan’s actions. Defense counsel Teo Choo Kee requested a sentence of approximately 10 years, acknowledging the deplorable nature of his client’s actions while noting that Tan had previously been a law-abiding citizen.
