Man, 42, acquitted of molesting stepdaughter

This article is more than 12 months old

Aug 26, 2016 06:00 am

A 42-year-old man was acquitted yesterday of four charges of sexual offences against his stepdaughter, after the High Court found reasonable doubt in the truth of the girl's accusations.

The main evidence for the prosecution was two statements she had given to the police in 2012, after she made a report saying that her stepfather had molested her.

But when she took the stand to testify during his trial this year, the girl, now 17, recanted her allegations.

When the prosecution tried to get her to give her account during examination-in-chief, she either said she could not remember the events or that no such thing happened, reported The Straits Times Online.

Under cross-examination by the defence, she said she had lied to the police.

The offences were alleged to have taken place on the afternoon of July 27, 2012.