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SINGAPORE – A lawyer defending a Singapore Management University (SMU) student accused of abuse called the alleged victim a liar who gave “half-truths” about her versions of events.
“Your account (of the events) is completely illogical and let me tell you that so far, your version of the account is inherently incredible,” said Lee Yan Ru’s attorney Thong Chee Kun on Wednesday (September 9), the second day. of his cross-examination of the 22-year-old woman.
“He is telling us half truths and lies,” the lawyer told the woman, who did not agree with his statement.
Lee, 24, is accused of rubbing his genitals against the woman while she lay on the floor of a study room at SMU around 6.30 a.m. on January 8 last year.
While the woman maintained that she had rejected Lee’s advances prior to the incident, Thong argued in court that the woman was actually “involved” in “playful physical teasing,” meaning that to her, all interactions were “fun. “.
“What I have given him is really the only possible explanation because he really could have easily retaliated and gone home at any time if Yan Ru really offended him with any inappropriate physical contact,” the lawyer said.
“I disagree. I think I retaliated by signaling him numerous times, pushing him and telling him to stop and leave,” the woman replied.
While in the room, Lee allegedly made multiple unwanted advances towards the woman, including hugging her, touching her breasts, and attempting to kiss her. The woman maintained that she had rejected his advances, but did not take further action for fear of offending or embarrassing Lee. She repeatedly claimed that she did not verbalize her objections because she thought her actions were enough to discourage her.
Woman maintained that she did not give her consent
Then, Thong presented his client’s version of events to the woman, suggesting that she had reacted playfully in response to Lee on occasion.
According to Lee, there was an exchange during which Lee playfully moved his feet up and down her lap while sitting across from the woman in the study room. Sometimes when his feet slipped off his lap, the woman would take his feet or foot and replace them. The woman did not agree with both statements.
Thong also suggested to the woman that when the two of them were under the table at one point, she giggled as Lee touched her breasts and that he move his hand to rub her crotch. The woman disagreed.
During the latest incident, Lee touched the woman’s chest to wake her up, according to the lawyer, but the woman disagreed.
Thong also suggested to the woman that she had allowed Lee to masturbate on top of her, but the woman said, “I was sleeping, so there was no action to give my consent.”
The lawyer then asked, “In these circumstances, even if you did not consent to the latest incident, do you think that Yan Ru may have mistakenly believed that you would consent?” The woman said, “No.”
“After everything I’ve said and done … I don’t understand why anyone would think I can give my consent,” he said.
At the end of the interrogation, Thong sent screenshots of a messaging app, Tellonym, where the woman answered questions about her court case a few days ago.
In response to an anonymous person who asked her if she was a good liar, the woman said, “Yes.”
District Judge Sharmila Sripathy concluded at the close of the prosecution’s arguments that a case had been brought against Lee and asked him to testify.
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