Former Grab driver kissed and molested 16-year-old passenger, gets jail and caning

SINGAPORE: A Grab driver picked up a 16-year-old student and asked her multiple questions about her personal life, before driving her to a secluded spot where he kissed her on the lips and molested her.

Mohamed Razin Mohamed Omar, 27, was sentenced to 15 months' jail and three strokes of the cane on Thursday (Jan 20).

He pleaded guilty to one charge of outraging the victim's modesty, with a second charge of kissing her lips taken into consideration.

The court heard that Razin picked up the victim in the early hours of Nov 21, 2020. The victim, who was headed home, sat in the rear passenger seat.

During the journey, Razin initiated a conversation with the girl, asking her about her age, her secondary school and her personal life.

The victim answered his questions, telling him she was 16. Razin asked the victim for her handphone number, before asking her: "Want to go somewhere?"

Not knowing what Razin meant, the victim answered: "Anything".

Razin drove his vehicle to a secluded location on Bulim Street, which is near Jurong, and stopped in a dimly lit area.

He alighted from the car and asked the victim to get out of the vehicle to chat. She complied, and Razin began asking her more questions.

He then re-entered the car, sitting in the back with the victim. He asked the girl if she had kissed any men before, and she said no.

At about 1.45am, Razin suddenly kissed the victim multiple times on her lips. Shocked, the victim said "I don't want" and pushed him away.

Razin was undeterred and grabbed the victim's hand, placing it over his crotch area. The victim withdrew her hand, but Razin grabbed her hand and forced her to perform a sex act on him.

The victim managed to pull her hand away eventually and told Razin that she wanted to go home. 

Razin ferried the girl home, asking her for a goodbye kiss when she was paying him for the fare. The girl refused and quickly went home.

She lodged a police report a few days later, saying she was molested.

The prosecutor asked for at least 15 months' jail and three strokes of the cane, pointing to the premeditation behind the offence despite the victim's discomfort and the degree of sexual exploitation.

The victim was also 10 years younger than the accused, who "exploited the victim's young age and naivete in a calculated fashion," said the prosecutor.

For outraging the modesty of a person, Razin could have been jailed up to two years, fined, caned, or given any combination of these punishments.