‘Deeply egregious violation’: Gardener gets 8 years’ jail, 4 strokes for sexually assaulting domestic worker

SINGAPORE — A domestic worker was on her way to dispose of a potted plant at a condominium’s community garden when she crossed paths with the estate’s gardener.

As a matter of a courtesy, the 53-year-old Filipino woman greeted Islam Md Shariful before she carried on her task. However, the Bangladeshi national had other ideas.

He followed the woman, grabbed her from behind and sexually assaulted her while restraining her with his legs.

On Tuesday (Feb 4), Shariful, who is now 26, pleaded guilty to one charge of sexually penetrating his victim with his fingers and was sentenced in the State Courts to eight years’ jail and four strokes of the cane.

Another charge of restraining his victim was taken into consideration for the sentencing.

The court heard that Shariful attacked the domestic worker, who cannot be named to protect her identity, on the morning of Oct 30, 2018.

After disposing of the potted plant on the second floor of the condominium’s garden, the woman was headed back to her employer’s home.

As she was walking down the stairs, she was suddenly hugged from behind by Shariful who began to grope her chest.

In the midst of struggling to shake off the man, the woman fell to the floor in a sitting position. Shariful took this opportunity to sit behind her and restrained her legs with his own.

He then sexually assaulted her with his fingers, causing the woman to scream.

Shariful immediately released his hold on the woman, apologised and told her not to tell anyone about it.

The woman said that she did not care for his pleas, and she immediately told her employer about what had happened. A police report was then filed.

Shariful, who was unrepresented in court, submitted a written mitigation plea which was summarised by District Judge Marvin Bay.

Shariful’s note essentially outlined the financial circumstances of his family, and his desire to return to his home country as soon as possible, the judge said.

While delivering his sentence, District Judge Bay said that it was a “deeply egregious violation of a hapless domestic worker”.

“You had followed her, forced yourself on her, restrained her and then sexually intruded into her private parts,” he said. “Such brazen attacks cannot be condoned, and a deterrent sentence is called for.”

However, he said he noted Shariful’s remorse and acknowledged that the man’s plea had saved his victim from the undoubted trauma involved in testifying in court.

Shariful’s imprisonment term was backdated to Nov 11, 2018. He was remanded on Nov 1 that year.

For sexually assaulting his victim, Shariful could have been jailed for up to 20 years and liable to a fine or caning. For restraining his victim, he could have been jailed for up to 10 years and caned.