SINGAPORE – Two foreign nationals, aged 49 and 50, went on trial in the High Court on Sept 2 for raping and sexually assaulting a woman who used to work with the younger man.
The sexual offences were allegedly committed between Feb 26 and Feb 27, 2023, in a room at the Carlton Hotel in Bras Basah Road.
The two men, who appeared in the dock dressed in suits, are contesting the charges against them.
The pair, who have been friends for 20 years, cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity.
The court had earlier dismissed an attempt by the prosecution to lift the gag order on their names on the grounds that publishing their names might lead to the identification of the victim, as they were part of a small circle owing to their field of work.
The 49-year-old faces one charge of sexual assault by penetration, one charge of outrage of modesty, and one charge of obstructing the course of justice by deleting communications between himself and the second man.
The 50-year-old faces two charges of rape, two charges of outrage of modesty, a charge of possession of an intimate image of the woman, and a charge of obstructing the course of justice.
According to heavily redacted court documents, the woman used to work under the 49-year-old, and was still occasionally in touch with him.
On Feb 23, 2023, they agreed to meet for dinner while they were both in Singapore.
Both men were staying at the Carlton Hotel on separate floors.
The woman arrived in Singapore on Feb 24. She made a restaurant reservation for two at 6pm on Feb 26.
On the afternoon of Feb 26, the two men began drinking gin and tonic in the older man’s room. Prosecutors alleged that they also took Viagra.
The 50-year-old then invited a woman he knew, referred to as Ms J, to his room to have drinks with him and his friend.
Prosecutors alleged that the two men alluded to having a “threesome” with the 52-year-old Canadian, but she rejected the proposal and left at about 6pm.
In the meantime, the younger man and the alleged victim agreed to meet at the hotel before going to the restaurant. They met at the hotel lobby and went up to his friend’s room.
The woman did not know the 50-year-old, but recognised him as she had read his books before.
As the woman sat on the edge of the bed, she had two half glasses of gin and sparkling water. She also had some white wine.