PUBLIC PROSECUTOR v CJK

[2024] SGHC 175 High Court (General Division) 9 July 2024 • HC/CC 19/2024 • 63 min read

7 cases cited Cited by 1 case

Catchwords

Criminal Law — Offences — Rape Criminal Law — Offences — Sexual offences

Practice Areas

Criminal Law

Judges (1)

Audrey Lim Delivered

Counsel (7)

Attorney-General's Chambers Firm Oon & Bazul LLP Firm Christina Koh Counsel Prosecution Eoon Zizhen Benedict (Wen Zhizhen) Counsel Defence Niranjan Ranjakunalan Counsel Prosecution Tanjeetpal Singh Khaira Counsel Defence Yee Jia Rong Counsel Prosecution

Parties (2)

Public Prosecutor Prosecution CJK Defendant

Case Significance

Public Prosecutor v CJK [2024] SGHC 175 was a criminal trial in the General Division of the High Court before Audrey Lim J, who delivered the grounds of decision on 9 July 2024 in Criminal Case No 19 of 2024, following hearings across 2-5, 23 and 25-26 April and 14 and 26 June 2024. The accused (referred to as "D") faced three charges of sexual offences relating to the complainant ("V"). The judgment records that V's mother ("K") was at the material time in a romantic relationship with the accused, and that V and K resided at a flat where the alleged offences occurred in 2014.

As set out in the judgment, the first charge alleged rape of V, a female then under 14 years old, in the living room of the flat in 2014, contrary to s 375(1)(b) and punishable under s 375(3)(b) of the Penal Code (Cap 224, 2008 Rev Ed). The second and third charges alleged the use of criminal force to outrage V's modesty, punishable under s 354(2) of the Penal Code, on two separate occasions in 2014. The catchwords identify the issues as Criminal Law — Offences — Rape and Criminal Law — Offences — Sexual offences. The prosecution was conducted by counsel from the Attorney-General's Chambers, including Ms Christina Koh, Mr Niranjan Ranjakunalan and Mr Yee Jia Rong, while the defence was conducted by counsel from Oon & Bazul LLP, including Mr Tanjeetpal Singh Khaira and Mr Eoon Zizhen Benedict (Wen Zhizhen).

Summary

The Accused faced three charges of sexual offences relating to the Complainant, the daughter of a woman with whom he was in a romantic relationship, alleged to have occurred in 2014 at the family's flat when the Complainant was under 14 years old, comprising one charge of rape and two charges of using criminal force intending to outrage her modesty under the Penal Code. The Accused initially indicated he would admit to the second and third charges but later qualified his admissions, which Audrey Lim J declined to accept. The court found the Prosecution had proved all three charges beyond reasonable doubt and convicted the Accused, stating that the appropriate sentence would be determined after hearing further submissions.

What was Public Prosecutor v CJK [2024] SGHC 175 about?

It was a High Court criminal trial in which the accused, referred to as "D", faced three charges of sexual offences, including rape and outrage of modesty, relating to a complainant who was under 14 years old when the alleged offences occurred in 2014.

What charges did the accused face in Public Prosecutor v CJK?

The accused faced a rape charge under s 375(1)(b), punishable under s 375(3)(b) of the Penal Code (Cap 224, 2008 Rev Ed), and two charges of using criminal force to outrage modesty under s 354(2), all relating to a girl under 14 in 2014.

Who decided Public Prosecutor v CJK [2024] SGHC 175?

Audrey Lim J of the General Division of the High Court of Singapore decided Criminal Case No 19 of 2024, delivering the grounds of decision on 9 July 2024 after hearings across April and June 2024.