The victim, a heavily intoxicated woman, was led to a field under the Tuas Viaduct. - Photo: Shin Min Daily News
SINGAPORE: Two foreign workers who were taking the last train back to their dormitory encountered a heavily intoxicated woman during their journey, and decided to take her along with them after the train stopped at Tuas West Road station.
One man, Alam Foysal, 38, guided the woman out of the train, then led her from the MRT station to a grass field under the Tuas Viaduct, where he allegedly raped her.
The other man, Ahmed Rayhan, 32, followed closely behind Foysal and the victim. He tried to rape the victim, but gave up after a few tries.
The 32-year-old victim was eventually found by a passer-by on his way to work the next morning.
Foysal and Rayhan, who are Bangladeshi nationals, were arrested on the same day, after the police established their identities from surveillance camera footage.
On Oct 18, Rayhan was sentenced to nine years’ jail and nine strokes of the cane after he pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted rape.
Two other charges related to the same victim, one for sexual assault by penetration and one for outrage of modesty, were taken into consideration during sentencing.
Foysal’s case is still pending in court.
The incident took place between 12.30am and 2.20am on March 8, 2022.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Michelle Tay told the High Court that both men worked as welders on the same construction-related project and stayed in the same dormitory.
On the evening of March 7, 2022, the two men met a mutual friend for drinks.
It was just past midnight when Foysal and Rayhan boarded a train at Chinese Garden MRT station to return to their dormitory.
During the journey, they noticed the victim, who was in the train carriage next to theirs.
She was heavily intoxicated and behaving erratically – walking up and down the aisle, sitting on the floor and then standing up.
The two men approached her and tried to strike up a conversation, but she was incoherent and did not respond to their questions.
When the train arrived at Tuas West Road station at about 12.30am, they decided to take her with them.
Foysal supported the victim and guided her out of the train carriage. He then led her down the escalator to the gantry, with Rayhan following closely behind them.
At the gantry, the victim struggled to tap out, attracting the attention of the station staff.
Foysal told the staff that he and Rahyan had met the victim in the train, that she lives nearby and that they were taking her home.
After the woman exited the gantry, Foysal held her wrist and led her to a grass field in the vicinity of the station, underneath Tuas Viaduct.
He then stopped at a dark area and set the victim down on the ground, next to a large concrete structural pillar.
The prosecutor said Rayhan then realised that Foysal intended to have sex with the victim there.
While Foysal was unzipping his trousers, Rayhan molested and sexually violated the woman.
The prosecutor said that after witnessing Foysal rape the victim, Rayhan decided to do the same. But he was unable to do so and gave up after trying for some time.
Following Rayhan’s failed attempt, Foysal raped the woman a second time, said the prosecutor.
The two men subsequently took a taxi back to their dormitory.
At about 7.10am, a Chinese national cycling past the field spotted the victim curled up on the ground, partially undressed and bleeding from the head. He called the police.
Rayhan was arrested at 6.20pm, while Foysal was arrested at 7.05pm on the same day.
The prosecutor said Foysal’s semen was found on multiple swabs taken from the victim’s body.
Foysal’s DNA was found on swabs taken from the victim’s underwear, while the victim’s DNA was found on the interior of Rayhan’s jeans.
Rayhan was initially charged with rape. This was amended to attempted rape after the charges against him were finalised on Aug 16, 2023, the court was told.
The prosecutor sought eight to 10 years’ jail and six strokes of the cane, saying that Rayhan knew the victim did not have the capacity to consent to sexual acts and took advantage of her vulnerable state.
Rayhan’s lawyer, Mahadevan Lukshumayeh, said his client “made the biggest mistake of his life” when he succumbed to temptation after seeing what was happening before his eyes. - The Straits Times/ANN
