Trial opens for man accused of sexually assaulting 16-year-old girl in Admiralty Park female toilet

SINGAPORE: The trial for a man accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in a female toilet at Admiralty Park with two friends opened on Thursday (Aug 20), as the prosecution called on her as their first witness.

Raden Zulhusni Zulkifri, now 28, is accused of sexual assault involving penetration as well as criminal trespass.

Under the penal code, sexual assault by penetration is a different offence from rape. 

The other two men involved in the case, Muhammad Isnalli David and Muhammad Al'Amin Selamat were caned and jailed for more than 12 years and 10 years respectively, after they both admitted in 2025 to raping the girl.

The girl, now 21, cannot be named to protect her identity. Deputy Public Prosecutors Tay Jia En and Melissa Heng called on her on Thursday as the first of their 28 witnesses, opting to have her testimony heard in private.

In his opening statement, Mr Tay noted that the victim was only 16 years old when she was sexually assaulted while she was intoxicated.

Two of the three men involved in the case have admitted to their roles and are serving time, while Raden has “refused to take any responsibility for his actions”, the prosecution claimed on Thursday.

Over the trial, the court will hear the victim’s "consistent" account of Raden’s alleged role and accounts from the two men who pleaded guilty that “clearly implicate” him, said Mr Tay. 

“It bears noting that the accused did not file any case for the defence, and he will therefore have much to answer for at trial,” he said.

The prosecution plans to show that Raden entered the female toilet and the cubicle where the girl and the other two men were, said Mr Tay, citing CCTV footage that showed the man entering and leaving the female toilet.

The prosecution will also present reports from doctors from KK Women's and Children's Hospital and the Institute of Mental Health who examined and heard her account of what happened on the day of the incident, he added.

AGREED FACTS

Raden reached Admiralty Park at about 5pm on Mar 27, 2022. He and Al'Amin, who was already there with a female friend, contacted Isnalli and they confirmed they would meet up that evening.

At about 8pm, they all met at a bench at the park. Isnalli, a 21-year-old female friend who was acquainted with him, and his victim arrived with gin and Redbull.

She drank “a number of cups” of gin mixed with Redbull, which Isnalli, Al'Amin and Raden also consumed, the court heard.

The girl became intoxicated and felt the urge to vomit. Isnalli helped her to the toilet while the others stayed at the bench.

Mr Tay then laid out a blow-by-blow account of what the CCTV footage captured as part of the facts agreed upon by both the prosecution and defence.

Isnalli supported the victim while she leaned over a sink outside the female toilet. He dragged her by her left arm and they entered the female toilet, the court heard.

The footage also captured Raden entering and exiting the female toilet multiple times after that, said Mr Tay, citing each occurrence alongside its timestamp.

Midway through the prosecution’s recount of what the CCTV footage captured, Justice Hoo Sheau Peng stopped to ask Raden if he was aware that he had agreed that all these things had happened.

His lawyer, Patrick Fernandez of Fernandez LLC, confirmed that his client was aware of what he was agreeing to.

Aside from the three men, two female friends were also captured on CCTV entering and exiting the toilet multiple times, the court heard.

Isnalli and the girl left the toilet at about 10.17pm. With Al'Amin and one of the female friends, they returned to the bench at Admiralty Park, where Raden and the rest were.

They left the park for a nearby bus stop and Raden cycled home, the court heard.

The next day, Isnalli, Raden and Al'Amin had a conversation over the phone. Later that day, the girl and one of the female friends were outside Raden’s house. He then told his father that he had been accused of raping a girl.

On the advice of Raden’s father, Raden and Al'Amin lodged police reports. All three men were arrested the following day.

If he is convicted of sexual assault involving penetration, Raden could face a jail term of up to 20 years, a fine, and caning. 

The punishment for criminal trespass is up to three months' jail, a fine of up to S$1,500 (US$1,180), or both.