A Grab driver is on trial for molesting two girls in his car.
Lom Mun Hoi, now 47, commenced trial in the State Courts on Tuesday (13 July) for the molestation of two girls, then aged 7 and 10.
He is contesting three molestation charges. One of them is in relation to the 10-year-old girl.
Lom is accused of touching her knee twice with his hand on 25 August 2017 at traffic light junctions in Yishun, harbouring the intention to outrage her modesty.
He is accused of touching the younger girl’s groin area over her dress twice within ten minutes while in his car on 14 June 2017 at Tampines Mall.
The older girl told Dr Bernardine Woo, senior consultant at the Institute of Mental Health’s child guidance clinic, that she had booked a Grab ride to go to her friend’s house located in Yishun.
She placed her bag in the boot before getting into the car along with her dog. She sat behind the front passenger seat.
Lom allegedly asked her where she was going and where she resided. She lied about her address.
He also allegedly said that he would look for her and bring her to McDonald’s.
According to Dr Woo’s report, the girl said that Lom would turn around in his seat at traffic light junctions and stretch out his hand to touch and rub her knee.
Once, he also asked why her dog was licking her.
The girl told Dr Woo that when they reached her friend’s home, Lom touched her cheek, told her to behave well and gave her three sweets.
The incident left her feeling frightened. The girl immediately got down from the car and told her friend about the events that had just transpired.
The friend later testified that the girl had indeed told her about her discomfort regarding the incident.
The friend’s parents testified that they returned home later, and after finding out what had happened, the father called Grab to lodge a complaint.
He also told his wife to call the girl’s mother.
After which, the girl’s mother took her to a police station to lodge a report.
Mr Riko Isaac Chua, Lom’s defence lawyer, asked Dr Woo whether the girl could have remembered the incident incorrectly.
Dr Woo responded to this by saying that the girl’s account of the incident was mostly aligned with what she had told the police.
Mr Chua asked the father of the girl’s friend why he had only filed a complaint with Grab without making a police report.
The man responded by saying that he left the decision on whether or not to get the authorities involved to the girl’s mother.
After the father had finished his testimony and was about to leave the courtroom, District Judge John Ng told him that Mr Chua was simply doing his job as the accused’s defence lawyer.
The judge told him, “You did what you thought was best at the time.”
The court has yet to hear the testimony regarding the younger girl.
The trial will resume in September. Lom is out on bail of $20,000.
If found guilty of molesting a minor under the age of 14, Lom could face imprisonment of up to five years, fined, caned, or any combination of the three.
Featured Image: Yaoinlove / Shutterstock.com
Watch this for a complete summary of what REALLY happened to Qoo10, and why it's like a K-drama:
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