Jail for 66-year-old man who offered 12-year-old boy cash and cigarettes in exchange for sexual acts

The pair also smoked cigarettes on occasion.

On Apr 29, 2020, the victim visited Abdul and asked for a cigarette. Abdul told the boy to show him his underwear and genitals and to let him take photos. The boy agreed and received cash and a cigarette afterwards.

The boy started occasionally requesting for cigarettes and cash from Abdul which the older man gave in exchange for sexual activities.

Between Apr 30, 2020 and Aug 4, 2020, Abdul asked to fellate the boy in exchange for giving him cigarettes. The victim suggested going to a handicapped toilet at a community centre where Abdul performed the act on the boy.

It lasted for about 10 minutes, after which Abdul bought a pack of cigarettes for the victim.

A similar incident took place sometime between Aug 5, 2020 and Dec 31, 2020 at the same handicapped toilet when the victim asked for cigarettes and cash. The victim had turned 13 then, according to charge sheets.

The court heard that Abdul and the victim engaged in similar sexual acts on at least eight occasions between 2021 and 2023.

On Jan 4, 2024, the police arrested Abdul after his niece lodged a report alleging that the accused was procuring sexual services from young boys in exchange for cigarettes. Abdul has been in remand since.

The prosecution sought 14 to 17 years’ jail and an additional four to five months’ imprisonment in lieu of caning.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Jiang Ke-Yue argued that the case was aggravating as the accused had provided cigarettes to the young victim over a period of three years and on multiple instances.

Abdul’s actions had “crossed the line of grooming”, he said. In its sentencing submissions, the prosecution added: “The accused had in essence exploited the victim’s youthful immaturity and conditioned him into providing sexual services in exchange for rewards.”

Abdul was represented by defence lawyer Mr Choo Jing Yen who asked for no more than 11 years’ imprisonment with no additional jail term in lieu of caning.

Mr Choo argued for his client to be exempted from extra jail term in lieu of caning, not just for his old age, but possibly on medical grounds. Both of his legs are amputated and he suffers from diabetes, Mr Choo said, and that based on the “litany of medical conditions”, it was likely Abdul might be medically unfit for caning.

In sentencing, Justice Audrey Lim noted the victim’s young age and that the act of fellation had lasted for “quite a while”.

Abdul was handed a jail term of 12 years and 7 months, and another two months’ jail for each charge in lieu of caning to compensate for the loss of deterrence.

For causing a minor under 14 to perform a sexual act on him, Abdul could have been jailed up to 20 years, and fined or caned.