Man Sentenced for Molestation on International Flight
A Singapore court has handed down a 15-month prison sentence and caning to an Indonesian national for molesting a 17-year-old Thai girl during a flight. The incident occurred on April 15 on a flight traveling from Okinawa to Singapore.
The defendant, identified as 20-year-old Ariel Lhudfiyan Muarifin, pleaded guilty to the charge of outrage of modesty. Court proceedings revealed that Muarifin, a construction worker based in Okinawa, was transiting through Singapore on his way back to Indonesia. The victim, a Thai resident returning to her home country, was seated next to him on the flight.
Details of the Incident
During the flight, Muarifin reportedly made advances towards the girl while she was asleep. Despite her attempts to move away, the molestation continued. The victim eventually left her seat to seek assistance from the cabin crew, who then relocated her to a different seat in a more secure area of the aircraft.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Upon the flight’s arrival in Singapore, the airline authorities reported the incident to the police, leading to Muarifin’s arrest on the same day. Prosecutors had requested a sentence between 14 to 16 months imprisonment and three to five strokes of the cane, highlighting Muarifin’s alleged exploitation of the confined space on the aircraft to commit the offense.
Muarifin appealed for leniency through an interpreter. However, the court ultimately imposed a sentence of 15 months in jail and three strokes of the cane. Under Singaporean law, the offense of outrage of modesty carries a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment, a fine, caning, or a combination of these penalties.
