Over 12 years’ jail for self-proclaimed ‘righteous and upright’ contractor who raped customer
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Koh Lee Hwa, 49, leaving the Supreme Courts on July 31.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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- Koh Lee Hwa, a contractor, was sentenced to 12 years and three weeks in jail with 13 strokes of the cane for raping and molesting a woman in her home.
- Koh claimed the sex was consensual, but Justice Chionh found him guilty on all four charges, highlighting the victim's convincing testimony.
- Koh intends to appeal the conviction and sentence and was granted bail of $80,000; the victim was described as dazed and scared after the assault.
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SINGAPORE – A 49-year-old renovation contractor who raped a woman at her home after she contacted him to carry out repair works in her flat was sentenced on Nov 26 to 12 years and three weeks in jail, and 13 strokes of the cane.
The man, Koh Lee Hwa, had claimed trial to four charges: one count of rape, one count of sexual assault by penetration and two counts of outrage of modesty.
He denied that he had initiated physical contact by suddenly hugging her without her consent, insisting that he was a “righteous and upright person”.
Koh claimed that they had consensual sex after the woman made the first move
He said the sexual encounter was not rape because it took slightly over 10 minutes, which he compared with the “standard” length of time for sex between him and his wife.
Koh also claimed that the woman uttered the single word “money” as he was leaving her flat, seemingly insinuating that she was trying to get money from him.
These arguments were found to be “devoid of merit” by High Court Judge Mavis Chionh, who found him guilty of all four charges on Oct 28.
In sentencing Koh on Nov 26, Justice Chionh considered that Koh had raped the woman on her bed, violating what should have been a secure sanctuary for her.
After Koh was sentenced, his lawyer, Mr Ariffin Sha, told the court that his client intends to file an appeal in person.
Mr Sha added that the legal team has no instructions to act for Koh in his appeal.
Koh’s daughter agreed to post bail of $80,000 for her father, who is a Singapore permanent resident.
Koh was 45 years old when he sexually assaulted the victim between 11.40am and 12.40pm on Aug 23, 2021.
Prosecutors said the woman got to know Koh in 2015 when she engaged him to renovate the flat.
Over the years, she occasionally contacted him regarding renovation and electrical works.
On Aug 21, 2021, she contacted Koh via WhatsApp to repair a faulty light in the common toilet and a light switch in the kitchen.
The next day, Koh fixed the light switch.
He returned a day later, on Aug 23, with the necessary parts to complete the repairs.
While Koh was working on the main circuit switchboard, the woman came out of the master bedroom and had a conversation with him about the works.
The woman said he suddenly pulled her towards him and hugged her without her consent.
Shocked, she pushed him away and went back to the bedroom. She sent text messages to two friends, in which she stated that the man had hugged her and that she was “scared”.
A few minutes later, Koh told her that he was done with the repairs and asked her to turn on all the switches in the flat to ensure that they were working.
After she checked the light and water heater in the bedroom toilet, Koh pushed her against the dressing table and forced a hug on her.
She told him to leave but he sexually assaulted and raped her on her bed, ignoring her pleas to stop.
In convicting Koh on Oct 28, Justice Chionh said the woman’s testimony was unusually convincing.
The woman was able to give a clear and vivid account of the events, including her attempts to struggle and to resist Koh’s sexual advances.
The judge said the woman gave a reasonable explanation for why, after the unwanted hug, she returned to her bedroom instead of fleeing the flat or calling the police.
The woman had explained that she was shocked and scared, and only thought in that moment of wanting Koh to “quickly complete the repair works and leave”.
Justice Chionh noted that even Koh himself did not claim to have received any previous indications of sexual interest from the woman.
She said Koh’s version of events, that the woman found the sexual encounter pleasurable, was completely inconsistent with the evidence of her three friends who visited her soon after the incident.
The friends testified that she appeared dazed, unresponsive, “frozen”, and unable to speak coherently.
