67-year-old man faces trial for raping housekeeper after offering her wine and ‘nutritional supplement’ injections

SINGAPORE – A 67-year-old man is accused of raping his then 35-year-old domestic helper after offering her wine and “nutritional” injections.

The man, who is not represented by a lawyer, denies the allegations in a trial that began in the Supreme Court on July 9.

The incident allegedly occurred on the night of January 5, 2020, when the maid was home alone with the man while the rest of his family was abroad.

The man is facing five charges – two of rape, one of sexual assault by penetration and two of outrage of modesty.

Due to a news blackout to protect the woman’s identity, his name cannot be mentioned.

The alleged victim was the first witness to take the stand. Her testimony was heard behind closed doors and without the public or the media.

In its opening statement, the prosecution claimed that the man had invited the chambermaid to watch television together on the evening in question and offered her wine.

The man then offered her “supplementary injections”, which she accepted, said the prosecution led by Deputy Public Prosecutor James Chew.

After giving her the injections on a sofa in the living room, the man sexually abused her, the public prosecutor said.

“The victim did not consent to any of the sexual acts, but was unable to defend herself against the defendant because she felt too dizzy and weak after taking the medication,” the opening statement said.

Further details about the injections were not given in the statement.

Prosecutors alleged that the man later carried the maid back to her room and laid her on her bed.

Prosecutors said they would present video recordings of the attack as well as the man’s confessions in his videotaped interviews.

In particular, the video surveillance recordings from the living room show that the man performed the sexual acts on the woman when she was very weak and unresponsive, and that the acts were not consensual, the public prosecutor’s office said.

Footage from the camera in the maid’s bedroom would show that the man had deliberately turned the camera in her room away from her bed before giving her the injections.