Public Prosecutor v CEJ: Abetment to Rape, Sexual Assault, and Sentencing
In Public Prosecutor v CEJ, the High Court of Singapore convicted CEJ on six charges, including five counts of abetment by conspiracy to commit rape and one count of sexual assault. CEJ was sentenced to 29 years' imprisonment and caning. The case involved CEJ and his co-accused arranging to sedate their wives or ex-wife and then sexually assaulting them, often while video-recording the acts. The court considered the serious aggravating factors, including the betrayal of trust and the prolonged duration of the offenses.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
General Division of the High Court of the Republic of Singapore1.2 Outcome
Accused sentenced to an aggregate imprisonment term of 29 years and to caning subject to the maximum of 24 strokes permitted by law.
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
CEJ was convicted of abetment to rape and sexual assault, sentenced to 29 years' imprisonment and caning. The case involved wife-sharing fantasies and drugging victims.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Prosecution | Government Agency | Judgment for Prosecution | Won | Gail Wong, Ang Siok Chen, Lim Ying Min |
| CEJ | Defendant | Individual | Convicted and Sentenced | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| See Kee Oon | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Gail Wong | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Ang Siok Chen | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Lim Ying Min | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
4. Facts
- The accused pleaded guilty to six charges, including abetment to rape and sexual assault.
- The accused conspired with co-accused to drug their wives or ex-wife.
- The accused or co-accused would have sexual intercourse with the other man’s wife while she was unconscious.
- The husbands watched and sometimes video-recorded the sexual acts.
- The offences came to light when A1 discovered a Skype chat on the accused's phone.
- The accused deleted incriminating chats from his handphone.
- The offences occurred from 2010 until 9 August 2018.
5. Formal Citations
- Public Prosecutor v CEJ, Criminal Case No 11 of 2022, [2023] SGHC 169
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Offences began | |
| Offences ended | |
| A1 discovered Skype chat | |
| A1 lodged a police report | |
| Accused and CEK arrested | |
| Dr Tommy Tan's psychiatric report | |
| Accused tendered first written plea in mitigation | |
| Accused convicted after pleading guilty | |
| Accused tendered second written plea in mitigation | |
| Notice of Appeal (Crime) dated | |
| Judgment issued |
7. Legal Issues
- Abetment by Conspiracy to Commit Rape
- Outcome: The accused was convicted on five counts of abetment by conspiracy to commit rape.
- Category: Substantive
- Sexual Assault by Digital-Vaginal Penetration
- Outcome: The accused was convicted on one count of sexual assault by digital-vaginal penetration.
- Category: Substantive
- Sentencing
- Outcome: The court sentenced the accused to an aggregate imprisonment term of 29 years and caning.
- Category: Procedural
- Related Cases:
- [2017] 2 SLR 449
- [2017] 2 SLR 1015
8. Remedies Sought
- Imprisonment
- Caning
9. Cause of Actions
- Abetment by Conspiracy to Commit Rape
- Sexual Assault
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Law
- Sentencing
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ng Kean Meng Terence v Public Prosecutor | Court of Appeal | Yes | [2017] 2 SLR 449 | Singapore | Cited for sentencing frameworks for rape cases. |
| Pram Nair v Public Prosecutor | Court of Appeal | Yes | [2017] 2 SLR 1015 | Singapore | Cited for sentencing frameworks for digital penetration cases. |
| Wong Tian Jun De Beers v Public Prosecutor | Unknown | Yes | [2022] 4 SLR 805 | Singapore | Cited to show that psychiatric report was of little or no assistance to the accused in mitigation. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Penal Code (Cap 224, 2008 Rev Ed) | Singapore |
| s 375(1)(a) of the Penal Code (Cap 224, 2008 Rev Ed) | Singapore |
| s 375(2) of the Penal Code (Cap 224, 2008 Rev Ed) | Singapore |
| s 109 of the Penal Code (Cap 224, 2008 Rev Ed) | Singapore |
| s 376(2)(a) of the Penal Code | Singapore |
| s 376(3) of the Penal Code | Singapore |
| s 328 of the Penal Code | Singapore |
| s 354(1) of the Penal Code | Singapore |
| s 307(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 (2020 Rev Ed) (“CPC”) | Singapore |
| s 328(6) of the CPC | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Abetment
- Rape
- Sexual Assault
- Conspiracy
- Digital Penetration
- Wife-Sharing
- Sedation
- Co-Accused
- Statement of Facts
- Mitigation Plea
15.2 Keywords
- abetment
- rape
- sexual assault
- sentencing
- Singapore
- criminal law
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Sexual Offences
- Sentencing
17. Areas of Law
- Criminal Law
- Abetment
- Rape
- Sexual Offences
- Criminal Procedure and Sentencing
- Mitigation