16-10-2023 (SINGAPORE) A 44-year-old man was sentenced to 19 years in prison and 18 strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to luring a 12-year-old girl into sexual encounters while posing as a 16-year-old on Instagram.
Muhammad Hudri Ahmad, who has a history of sexual offenses involving minors, was sentenced by the High Court on Monday. His case shed light on the grave issue of online child exploitation and the need for stronger safeguards to protect young users.
Hudri had previously been convicted for a similar offense in 2016, when he had sex with a 13-year-old girl he met online, leading to a 40-month prison sentence. His return to predatory behavior raises concerns about the effectiveness of rehabilitation in such cases.
In the current case, Hudri initiated contact with the victim in October 2019, falsely claiming to be a 16-year-old and befriending the 12-year-old girl. The victim, a primary school pupil, was manipulated into meeting him on multiple occasions.
Their encounters involved unprotected sexual acts and took place in various locations. The incidents only came to light during a session with the victim’s school counselor when she reported the rape on August 21, 2020.
Hudri’s actions were deemed premeditated, and he was diagnosed by the Institute of Mental Health in October 2020 as a paedophile who posed a significant danger to young victims.
In court, the prosecution sought a sentence of 20 years in prison with 24 strokes of the cane, emphasizing the gravity of Hudri’s actions and his paedophilic disorder. On the other hand, the defense argued for a sentence of 18 years in prison and 12 strokes of the cane, citing the need for deterrence.
