Man sentenced to 16 years' jail, 18 strokes of cane for raping mum
Accused claimed that victim had made up the allegations to get him out of her one-room flat
A 34-year-old man was sentenced to 16 years' jail and 18 strokes of the cane yesterday after the High Court found him guilty of raping and molesting his biological mother.
The man had denied the charges, claiming that his mother, who was 53 at the time of the offences on Oct 4, 2013, had conspired with his stepfather to make up the allegations to get him out of their one-room flat.
Judicial Commissioner Foo Chee Hock said the case raised two disturbing questions - whether a mother would falsely and cynically accuse her son of raping her, and whether a son would sexually assault his mother.
The judge found that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt against the accused on the three charges of rape, aggravated molestation and molestation.
The accused cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, who is now 58.
The man, who has past convictions for drug consumption, burglary and robbery, is the second of the woman's three sons from her first marriage.
Five months before the rape, she invited him to live with her and her second husband as he had no home of his own.
In the early hours of Oct 4, 2013, she was alone sleeping when her son returned and sexually assaulted her.
In the six-minute phone conversation between the two in Malay after the rape, she repeatedly asked him why he "kacau" (disturb) her.
The man replied that he liked it and wanted it again.
The woman also asked him: "Why you force me in the morning just now?... There are pretty women you can get, why like this?... (I am) your mother you know."
Deputy Public Prosecutor Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz argued that the recording was clear proof that the accused had forced himself on his mother.
The victim had testified during the trial that she used the word "kacau" to refer to rape because she was sad and confused at the time.
The defence, assigned under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, had argued that there was no mention of the word "rape" in the recording.
The defence also pointed out that the woman was calm after the rape and went about her usual routine instead of calling the police or her family.
DPP Sharmila said: "There are no winners in this case - not least the victim who will forever carry the indescribable humiliation, betrayal and hurt so callously inflicted on her by her son on Oct 4, 2013, and then again in court."
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