SINGAPORE, Mar 21: A 31-year-old Malaysian engineer has been sentenced to 30 years in jail and 24 strokes of caning by a Singapore court for sexually abusing 31 boys between 2009 and 2012.
Yap Weng Wah had sexually groomed the boys, who were aged between 11 and 15, after meeting them online. In all but one case, he either sodomised or had oral sex with them at his rental flat, in hotel rooms and toilets at shopping centres and swimming pools, the Strait Times reported today.
Justice Woo Bih Li, yesterday made it clear that the high-risk offender needed to be put away for a long time to protect society and as a warning that such heinous acts would not be tolerated.
“There is a strong public interest in the present case to deter potential sexual offenders from using the Internet to lure young victims,” he said.
The judge pointed out how Yap tried to hide the extent of his crimes. When he was questioned after a victim lodged a report, Yup told the police that he had sex with just three boys.
But a raid on his home on September 12, 2012, around 2,000 video clips of him having sex were found in his laptop.
It was through these videos, which were meticulously catalogued based on the boys’ names, ages and the year he met them, that the victims were identified. At least 14 other boys were taped by him during his visit to Malaysia.
“Yap was planning and hunting for victims to satisfy his deviant urges,” said Justice, noting how he befriended the boys on Facebook, gained their trust as elder brother and played computer games and gave body-building tips.
The prosecution had sought a minimum 30-year jail term, and 24 strokes of the cane.
Yap pleaded for compassion, saying he had found religion and vowed to do one good deed a day. He also swore never to repeat his acts, was sorry for his “disgraceful” crimes and that he was ashamed of his sexuality.
He has been diagnosed by the Institute of Mental Health with hebephilia – a sexual preference for early adolescent children generally aged 11 to 14. (PTI)
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