Father of rape victim testifies in trial

Ong Soon Heng, 40, went on trial on Thursday (March 30) for abducting and raping a woman in the early hours of July 24, 2014. PHOTO: ST FILE

SINGAPORE - A 57-year-old father of three, whose only daughter was found unconscious in a man's home wearing his clothes, on Friday (March 31) recounted how he tried to learn the truth of what happened to his daughter.

He recorded two conversations with the man, Ong Soon Heng, 37. In the first, hours after his daughter was found, Ong insisted nothing happened between him and the woman, a 22-year-old undergraduate.

But in the second, two days later, Ong admitted he had sex with her, which he claimed was consensual.

Testifying on Day 2 of Ong's trial, the father broke down as he told the court how, later that night, he gathered the family together and broke the news to his daughter that she had been raped.

"She was totally stunned because she could not remember anything," he said.

The man broke down as he recounted how the whole family cried, including his older son, who had never cried openly.

"Do you know how much hurt you created for all of us?" he said angrily as he looked at Ong, who was in the dock.

Ong is on trial for one charge each of rape and abduction. He knew the alleged victim because she was an intern at a food and beverage company and he was a good friend of her employers.

The prosecution's case is that he had plied the woman with drinks while they were clubbing with their respective friends in the early hours of July 24, 2014.

Ong carried her into the back seat of his car, telling her friends he would send her home. Instead he drove her to his home at Hume Heights, where he allegedly raped her.

The woman's boyfriend decided to search for her when he was unable to contact her and managed to track her to Ong's house using the Find My iPhone app.

The father told the court that when his daughter's boyfriend took her home, she had to be supported and the first thing she said was "Where am I?"

Suspecting that she had been drugged, they took her to the KK Women's and Children's Hospital, where they were advised by doctors to make a police report.

Leaving his daughter in the care of his wife, he went to Ong's house with his older son and the boyfriend.

There, Ong claimed he had changed the woman's clothes because she had thrown up on her herself. He said he treated her as a good friend and little sister.

The woman's father said he later contacted his daughter's employer, who told him Ong was a "playboy". The father told the employer to tell Ong to see him.

Two days later, Ong sent him a text to meet up. During their conversation at a fast food restaurant, Ong claimed the woman had suggested going to his place.

In court on Friday, the father accused Ong of lying to save his skin.

In contrast, he sang praises of the boyfriend for being a "gentleman".

The father said he had pulled the boyfriend aside twice and told him he had the right to "walk away" and "cut the relationship". But he said the boyfriend told him: "Uncle, don't worry. (The alleged victim) needs me now. I will stay with her."

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