Man, 51, walks home woman, 71, with dementia, later visits several times to rape & molest her

After walking a 71-year-old woman with dementia home on one occasion and finding out where she lived, a 51-year-old man visited the woman on at least four other occasions to rape and molest her.

The man, Mohamad Zakir Jaafar, was eventually caught in the act on a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera in the living room, installed by the woman's son.

Zakir faced eight charges in total — six in relation to raping and molesting the 71-year-old and three for the possession of knuckle dusters and a replica handgun.

He pleaded guilty on Jul. 7 to two charges of rape and one charge of molestation, CNA reported.

The rest of the charges will be taken into consideration during sentencing.

Wife helped guide victim home

According to court documents, the victim was formally diagnosed with dementia in February 2019.

In 2021, she was found mentally incapable of handling her own finances and welfare.

In June 2022, Zakir's wife encountered the victim at the void deck of the victim's housing block.

The victim was lost and unable to find her way back home.

After getting her address from her identity card, Zakir's wife helped the victim get home.

Afterwards, the wife told Zakir about the victim.

Visited victim at night

About a week later, Zakir encountered the victim, who was lost near a mall around their neighbourhood. He walked the victim home.

The victim told Zakir that she lived alone and that her sons would visit her once in awhile.

Zakir observed that the victim was unaware of her surroundings and did not know how to go home.

After this first encounter with the victim, Zakir went back to the victim's home at least four times, between June 2022 and Jan. 3, 2023.

He would go at night after his work shift, show the victim pornographic videos and perform sexual acts on her.

CCTV footage and arrest

On Jan. 3, 2023, the victim's younger son saw what Zakir had been doing with the victim while reviewing the CCTV footage.

He alerted his brother, who filed a police report.

Zakir was arrested that same day.

Victim lacked capacity to consent to sexual relationship

The victim was later assessed to lack the mental capacity to consent to a sexual relationship.

This, along with other assessment findings, qualifies the victim as a vulnerable person at the time of the offences, as defined by law.

Egregious sexual assault case: Prosecutors

In their submissions, Deputy Public Prosecutors James Chew and Tan Jun Ya described the case as an "egregious sexual assault case" in which the accused "repeatedly exploited a vulnerable victim who had no mental capacity".

They sought a sentence of around 15 years' and one month' to 16 years' and three months' jail.

They also sought an additional jail term of 12 months, in lieu of caning.

CNA reported that the court asked for further submissions and adjourned the case for sentencing to a later date.