Grab driver gets jail, caning for molesting teenage passenger during midnight ride home

SINGAPORE — After picking up a teenage girl who was heading home, a private-hire driver asked if she wanted to go somewhere before taking her to a secluded location in Jurong West.

Mohamed Razin Mohamed Omar then kissed her several times on the lips and forced her to perform a sex act on him.

On Thursday (Jan 20), Razin was sentenced to one year and three months’ jail and three strokes of the cane. The 27-year-old Singaporean pleaded guilty to one molestation charge, with another charge taken into consideration for sentencing.

His victim, now aged about 17, cannot be named due to a court order to protect her identity.

The court heard that she had booked a Grab ride home sometime after midnight on Nov 21, 2020. Razin then picked her up from Kang Ching Road in Jurong West.

He began asking the girl, who had sat in the rear passenger seat, questions about her personal life. He also asked how old was she, what secondary school she attended and what her mobile phone number was.

When she said that she was 16, Razin asked her: “Want to go somewhere?” Not knowing what he meant, she replied: “Anything.”

He then drove her to a secluded location along Bulim Street and stopped at a dimly lit area, before they both alighted to chat.

He began to ask her more personal questions. Moments later, he returned to his car and invited her to sit beside him at the back so they could talk more. There, he asked her if she had kissed any men before.

She said “no” and he then moved quickly towards her, kissing her several times on the lips. She pushed him away in shock and told him: “I don’t want.”

Undeterred, he grabbed her hand and made her perform a sex act on him. She managed to pull her hand away and said she wanted to go home.

Razin then drove her home, but when she was paying for the ride, he asked her for a goodbye kiss. She refused and alighted.

Razin, who was earlier out on bail, began serving his sentence immediately.

Those convicted of molestation can be jailed for up to two years, fined, caned, or punished with any combination of the three.