Man who allegedly posed as police officer and raped maid goes on trial
Sharveen Chetty allegedly threatened to make life difficult for the victim and her friends when she resisted him.
A general view of the Supreme Court from across the Singapore River on Sep 23, 2022. (File photo: CNA/Try Sutrisno Foo)
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SINGAPORE: A man went on trial on Tuesday (Feb 3), accused of raping a migrant domestic worker after luring her away from a group of her friends by posing as a police officer.
Sharveen Chetty, a 48-year-old Malaysian, was actually an employee of transport company SBS Transit at the time.
Chetty is contesting two charges of rape and one count of impersonating a police officer.
According to the prosecution's case, the victim, then aged 35, was with her friends and boyfriend at a grass patch near Little India MRT Station on Jul 11, 2022.
Chetty was on patrol duty at the time and noticed the group of foreign workers, said Deputy Public Prosecutors Marcus Foo, Mark Chia and Gurmesh Singh.
Chetty allegedly pretended to be a police officer, asking for identification documents and using his body-worn camera issued to him for his job with SBS Transit to act like he was scanning their work permits.
He asked for the victim's identification and took her Ministry of Manpower in-principle approval letter from her, as well as her phone, said the prosecution.
Chetty directed the group to stay while asking the victim to follow him, it said.
He allegedly took the woman to some bushes and kissed her, threatening to create difficulties for her and her friends when she resisted.
He allegedly forced her to perform a sex act on him before raping her.
When the woman went back to her friends, she told them that Chetty was a fake policeman. The real police were then called in.
The woman was examined by doctors and Chetty's DNA was found on areas of her underwear, as well as in a swab on the woman's thigh.
The trial continues. Chetty is represented by Mr Mohamed Baiross from IRB Law.
If convicted of rape, he could be jailed for up to 20 years and given a fine or caning.
For personating a public servant, he could be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both.
