Jail and caning for trio who sexually assaulted drunk girl
Three men, who were part of a group of five that took turns to sexually assault a drunk teenage girl in a hotel room in 2014, were sentenced to jail and caning yesterday.
Ridhaudin Ridhwan Bakri, Muhammad Faris Ramlee and Asep Ardiansyah, all 25, were found guilty in April, after contesting various charges in a High Court trial that began in August 2016.
The trio were 20 years old when they engaged in sexual acts with the victim, then 18 years old, at a birthday party held at the now-defunct Duxton Hotel.
They largely did not dispute the acts took place but argued that she had given her consent.
SENTENCES
Ridhwan, convicted of one count each of rape, sexual assault by penetration and molestation, was sentenced to a jail term of 13 years, one month and 13 days, as well as 13 strokes of the cane.
Faris, convicted of one count of rape, was sentenced to a jail term of 11 years, 10 months and 18 days, as well as six strokes of the cane.
Asep, convicted of one count each of attempted rape and sexual assault by penetration, was sentenced to a jail term of nine years, 11 months and 28 days, as well as eight strokes of the cane.
The jail terms took into account the respective days the trio had spent in custody before they were released on bail.
Ridhwan and Faris began serving their jail sentences, while Asep's bail was increased from $25,000 to $35,000 after he indicated that he intended to appeal.
The two others in the group are serving sentences after pleading guilty to their roles in 2016.
Muhammad Fadly Abdull Wahab, then 20, who had repeatedly persuaded the girl to attend the party and plied her with alcohol, was given 13 years' jail and eight strokes of the cane.
Muhammad Hazly Mohamad Halimi, 23, was sentenced to 11 years' jail and six strokes of the cane.
On the night of Jan 25, 2014, Fadly invited the victim to the party with the intention of getting her drunk.
When the victim arrived with a friend slightly after midnight, she was introduced to the partygoers, including the trio whom she had not met before.
She became drunk, collapsed and vomited. The other partygoers, including the victim's friend, left for Zouk while Fadly and Hazly volunteered to stay behind to look after her.
After cleaning her up, they put her on the bed, and Fadly took a "wefie" that he sent to a friend to brag. He then raped her and encouraged Hazly to do so as well.
The other three later returned to the room.
Faris had sex with the girl in the bathroom but contended that she had propositioned him.
After Faris left the bathroom, Asep went in, sexually violated her and tried to have sex with her but did not succeed.
Later that morning, Ridhwan had sex with her but contended that it was consensual.
After leaving the hotel, the victim tried to find out from her friends what had happened in the room. Two days later, she made a police report.
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