The act only lasted for a fleeting moment, says lawyer of MOM officer who molested 11-year-old girl after following her home

SINGAPORE – A Ministry of Manpower (MOM) housing officer snapped a picture of an 11-year-old and her younger brother before following the children into their flat, where he molested her.

Loh Jin fled the scene when the girl started crying and he took a taxi home.

On Tuesday, the 57-year-old offender pleaded guilty to a molestation charge and was sentenced to a year and five months' jail.

According to the My Careers Future website, MOM housing officers perform duties such as engaging with dormitory operators, foreign workers and employers on a regular basis.

They also inspect foreign worker residences.

The Straits Times has contacted the ministry to find out Loh's current employment status with it.

The victim and her eight-year-old brother were playing at a playground in Toa Payoh on Oct 19, 2020, when Loh spotted them.

He then used his mobile phone to snap their picture.

The children were walking home at around 5.30pm when Loh decided to follow them.

He tailed the pair into a lift and stepped out with them after the doors opened near their flat. The children's parents were not home at the time.

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Deputy Public Prosecutor Ong Xin Jie said: "The accused then followed (the children) into the unit. The victim was surprised to see the accused entering the unit, and informed him that her parents had instructed her not to let strangers into their family home.

"The accused then showed the victim the picture that he had taken of her and her younger brother."

Loh molested the girl soon after, and ran away when the shocked child burst into tears.

She phoned the police later that day and told officers about her ordeal.

On Tuesday, defence lawyer Josiah Zee told the court that his client was very remorseful.

The lawyer from Invictus Law added: "The degree of sexual exploitation is low as he had only touched the victim once... The act lasted only for a fleeting moment."

For molesting a child below 14 years old, an offender can be jailed for up to five years, fined, caned or receive any combination of such punishments.

Loh cannot be caned as he is above 50 years old.

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