Man, 50, on trial for allegedly forcing 3 teenage boys to perform sex act

SINGAPORE — Befriending five teenage boys near a playground in Jurong West where he lived, Mustapah Abdullah, then 46, would allegedly ply them with cigarettes and beer, and share his thoughts on life and religion.

But when he realised three of the boys were avoiding him due to a rumour that he made another boy perform a sex act, Mustapah allegedly assaulted the boys and threatened to harm their family members.

Later, he allegedly gave the trio at the playground a choice — perform a sex act on him, or face "problems" from him in the future.

Mustapah purportedly sexually assaulted the boys after they gave in to his threat.

In the High Court on Monday (April 11), Mustapah, now 50, claimed trial to three charges of sexual assault by penetration.

The Singaporean, who is not represented by a lawyer and has been remanded since his arrest, faces seven other similar charges for sexual assault by penetration that have been stood down for the time being.

Presenting their case on Monday, the prosecution said it will seek to submit to the court three statements that Mustapah had given to the police, where he confessed to committing sexual acts with the boys.

In their opening statement, Deputy Public Prosecutors Gail Wong, Tay Jia En and Gladys Lim told the court that 20 witnesses, including the three alleged victims, will give evidence during the trial.

The prosecutors argued that he had preyed on the three boys, who were aged 16 to 17 at the time, and “capitalised on their fears of violent reprisals”. They cannot be named due to a court order to protect their identities.

According to the prosecutors' submissions, Mustapah lived in the same neighbourhood in Jurong West as the three boys.

He was allegedly introduced to the trio by Mustapah's 16-year-old acquaintance in 2017, who was also unnamed in court documents. They would all meet frequently at a hut in Jurong West close to the playground.

Mustapah is also accused of sexually assaulting his acquaintance several times in 2017, though these charges have been stood down for the time being.

THREATENED TO 'POTONG' THEM

Prosecutors said they will present evidence from the three boys that will prove that Mustapah was friendly to them, sharing his past experiences and views on religion and life with his alleged victims.

Mustapah had allegedly bought beer and cigarettes for the boys, and also told them he was previously involved in gangs.

In late 2017, a fifth boy — who was a mutual friend of the trio — also began hanging out with them, the court heard. Mustapah had also allegedly sexually assaulted the boy, according to one of the stood-down charges.

Soon, a rumour began circulating that Mustapah had made their friend perform oral sex on him, court documents stated. The boys then began avoiding Mustapah.

Mustapah soon allegedly confronted his teenage acquaintance about why they had been avoiding him. When he found out about the rumour, he allegedly demanded to meet one of the three boys near a fitness corner, or he would "potong" (Malay for cut) him.

The boy complied and met Mustapah, prosecutors said.

During the meeting, Mustapah allegedly choked and slapped the boy, demanding to know who else heard the rumour. He also allegedly took the boy's mobile phone to text offensive slurs to the other two boys.

This led another boy to meet him at the hut out of fear, the court heard. Mustapah allegedly assaulted him, as well as threatened to harass the boy at his home and "potong" his family members.

This all took place before the alleged sexual assaults, the court heard.

BECAME MORE PHYSICALLY VIOLENT

Laying out their legal position on the case, the DPPs told the court that they will enter evidence during the trial to show that Mustapah got the three alleged victims to meet him at the hut at 10.30pm on Oct 18, 2018.

“The victims will testify that when they met the accused at the hut, he questioned them about spreading the rumour… and became physically violent,” the prosecutors said.

Mustapah allegedly slapped one of the boys and pulled his hair, and kicked another boy in the back while holding a bottle of beer.

Telling them that he had been in gang fights before, Mustapah allegedly told them to speak to him individually at the top of a slide at a playground near the hut.

The prosecutors told the court: “When each of the victims met him individually, he gave them a false ‘choice’ — to (give him oral sex) or ‘walk away’. But if they chose the latter, he would give them ‘problems’ in public.

“From the accused’s behaviour and the earlier assaults, the victims understood that he meant they would physically injure them or create trouble at their houses. They gave in to his threats.”

The following morning, one boy went to school and his class advisor noticed that he was behaving out of the norm.

When the advisor questioned him, he said something bad had happened, which prompted the advisor to arrange for him to see a school counsellor.

Mustapah's alleged deeds only came to light a few days later, when the boy told the counsellor what had happened. A staff member then called the police.

On Monday, the court heard evidence that Mustapah had no mental disorder or intellectual disability and was not of unsound mind at the time of his alleged offences, according to an Institute of Mental Health report.

Taking the stand as the first witness for the prosecution in the trial, an investigation officer from the police’s serious sexual crimes branch said Mustapah’s mobile phone was seized, and that the police were able to view text messages he had exchanged with the boys.

The trial continues on Tuesday.

DECLINED PLEA OFFER

Declining to take up a plea offer from prosecutors, Mustapah argued in Malay through a court interpreter that the acts had been “consensual” and that he was “forced to sign” the charges.

He also claimed that other boys identified in the stood-down charges were not underage.

The prosecution said that if he chose to plead guilty, they would have sought 26 years’ jail with an additional imprisonment term in lieu of 24 strokes of the cane. Offenders aged 50 and above cannot be caned under the law.

High Court judge See Kee Oon told Mustapah that he may face a more serious sentence if he is convicted, but Mustapah stuck to his not-guilty plea.

Those convicted of sexual assault by penetration can be jailed for up to 20 years for each charge, as well as fined or caned.