S'porean man, 42, lets runaway girl, 17, stay at his bar, rapes her, gets 13 years' jail, caning

A 42-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to 13 years' and four weeks' jail and nine strokes of the cane on Jul. 8 for raping a 17-year-old girl in February 2020.

The girl had run away from the Singapore Girls' Home.

According to CNA, Raj Kumar Bala, owner of now-defunct Don Bar & Bistro in Dunlop Street, had hired her and taken her in before committing the act in his rented condo unit.

Hired her to work at his bar

The girl found out that another runaway was working at Raj Kumar's bar and sought work there too.

After an interview, he offered her a job which involved serving customers and making drinks, telling her she could stay in the bar with the other runaways.

The authorities raided the place a few days later on Feb. 22, 2020, acting on a tip-off about runaways working there.

Raped her while she was drunk

The girl fled the raid with another girl, and they were later picked up from Sim Lim Tower by Raj Kumar, who drove them to his condominium.

The three of them drank alcohol together.

Raj Kumar then raped the victim before subsequently performing sex acts with another girl.

According to The Straits Times (ST), the victim left the condo later that day and stayed with a friend. She told him about the rape two to three weeks later.

The victim returned to the Singapore Girls' Home in July 2020.

In August 2020, she informed her case worker about the rape.

Raj Kumar also faces another 22 pending charges, most of which are for sexual offences involving five other victims.

Asked for bail to sell property and settle family matters

Raj Kumar was convicted of a charge each of raping and molesting the victim. He also pleaded guilty to a third charge of harbouring a runaway under the Children and Young Persons Act.

According to CNA, Justice Mavis Chionh said that the incident caused "considerable personal harm" on the girl, who had blamed herself for being in an intoxicated state which led to the rape.

She highlighted that Raj Kumar had was aware that the teen was on the run, and that she had depended on him for income and shelter.

The judge noted that he had also pressured her to consume alcohol that night, and knew she was in a vulnerable state while intoxicated, ST reported.

Chionh rejected prosecutors' request to run the sentences for the rape and molestation consecutively.

Raj Kumar's lawyer said he intends to appeal agains the conviction, ST reported.

An application was also put forth for Raj Kumar to be released on bail pending his appeal. He had wanted bail to sell off his property and his business so he could leave the money behind for his wife and children.

He also wanted to settle other family matters such as applying for permanent residency for his wife and one of his sons, who are foreigners.

The judge rejected the bail request.

Top photos via Don Bar & Bistro on Instagram & Canva