Warrant of arrest for missing rapist who jumped bail
SINGAPORE — The High Court issued a warrant of arrest on Monday (July 23) for a convicted rapist who jumped bail and is believed to have fled to Thailand.
The court heard that the passport of Ong Soon Heng, 41, is still being held by Singapore police. Deputy Public Prosecutor Eunice Lau said that there are no official records of him leaving the country, but his bank records showed withdrawals being made in Thailand.
Ong, a bunker surveyor, was found guilty last November of abducting and raping a drunk 22-year-old woman following an outing at popular nightclub Zouk. He was given a sentence of 13.5 years’ jail and six strokes of the cane, but he wanted to appeal against his conviction and sentence.
After he filed his appeal, he was granted bail of S$80,000 pending a court hearing this November, but last month, his brother — who was his bailor — could not contact him, and is unaware of his whereabouts.
Ong’s brother then made a police report on June 21. There will be a separate hearing for the brother to explain why the bail amount should not be forfeited.
Ong's lawyer Sunil Sudheesan said that he last saw his client in April. Since then, they have been communicating via email.
With the latest development, Mr Sunil applied to discharge himself as Ong's lawyer, and this was approved by the court.
THE CASE
In July 2014, Ong and his victim, together with a few friends, were at Zouk. The victim, who cannot be named due to a court order, was then working as an intern at a diner owned by Ong's friends. They became acquainted as Ong, a divorcee, would occasionally visit the eatery.
After she became drunk and unconscious, Ong carried her to his car and took her to his house. More than two hours later, the woman’s boyfriend — who had traced her whereabouts using a mobile phone application — discovered her “lying in a stupor” next to Ong in bed, wearing a T-shirt and boxer shorts that were not hers.
Ong had claimed that the two were in an intimate relationship.
A medical report stated that the victim was severely intoxicated at the time and was highly unlikely to have had consensual sex.
