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SINGAPORE – A former senior official accused of sexually abusing his colleague at work claimed in court on Wednesday (September 2) that his relationship with her was “professional.”
Besides two instances in which they had hugged, the only physical contact they had were the moments when she touched his hand to reassure him while he was feeling stressed, he said.
The 66-year-old retiree from Singapore is on trial for allegedly sexually abusing two women, who were his colleagues at the time, on six occasions between March and September 2016, when he was working for an education-related organization.
The man and his alleged victims cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the identity of the women. His employer at that time and his designation cannot be disclosed either.
He is represented by attorneys Gary Low and Terence Tan of Drew & Napier.
The court had previously heard that the man was the supervisor of both women.
She allegedly targeted one of them in her office cubicle in March 2016, when she told her they were going to promote her. It is said that he held her so tightly that his chest was pressing against his body. The woman did not respond, the court listened.
He is also accused of similarly sexually abusing the same woman in his office cubicle between June and July of that year after congratulating her on her positive performance on a work-related matter.
At Wednesday’s trial, the man denied holding her tightly, claiming that she had initiated the hugs both times.
He stated that he had a “professional” relationship with the woman, recalling that the only cases of physical contact between them was when she touched his hand to reassure him, as he felt stressed at work.
But he couldn’t explain why he had come to hug her both times.
The man further denied holding her tightly in two other alleged incidents, including one case in July 2016, when he allegedly squeezed her buttocks as well.
He also disagreed with Deputy Prosecutor Goh Yi Ling that he had pressed his genitals against his victim’s body on another occasion as a way to “test (his) limits” with her.
For each count of sexual abuse, offenders can be jailed for up to two years, fined, and / or punished. The man cannot be whipped because he is over 50 years old.
The trial continues on Thursday, when the man is expected to continue testifying.
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