Two men on trial for rape, sexual assault of woman in hotel room

Two foreign nationals, aged 49 and 50, went on trial in the High Court on Sept 2 for raping and sexually assaulting a woman who used to work with the younger man.

- Selina Lum

The sexual offences were allegedly committed between Feb 26 and Feb 27, 2023, in a room at the Carlton Hotel in Bras Basah Road.

The two men, who appeared in the dock dressed in suits, are contesting the charges against them.

The pair, who have been friends for 20 years, cannot be named to protect the victim's identity.

The court earlier dismissed an attempt by the prosecution to lift the gag order on their names on the grounds that publishing their names might lead to the victim's identification, as they were part of a small circle owing to their field of work.

The 49-year-old faces one charge of sexual assault by penetration, one charge of outrage of modesty, and one charge of obstructing the course of justice by deleting communications between himself and the second man.

The 50-year-old faces two charges of rape, two charges of outrage of modesty, a charge of possession of an intimate image of the woman, and a charge of obstructing the course of justice.