Straits Times, Singapore, 18 July 1956

Rotan for attacker

Rawi bin Rahi, who robbed a girl and her boy friend and then stabbed and tried to outrage her, was sentenced by Mr. Justice Knight in the Singapore Assize Court yesterday to seven years' jail and 10 strokes of the rotan.

He was found guilty of armed robbery with hurt and attempting to rape Chuan Ah Pong in a pill box at Tanjong Rhu on the night of April 25.

Straits Times, Singapore, 28 July 1956

Attacked girl, cane for 'pirate'

A "PIRATE" taxi driver found guilty of raping a 17-year-old factory girl was ordered to be given eight strokes of the rotan and jailed for three years by Mr. Justice Knight in the Singapore Assizes yesterday.

Koh Cheng Eng was alleged to have picked up the girl, Leong Siew Yoke, as a fare and then driven her against her wish to the old airport runway at Kallang.

Raped in car

The prosecution, led by the Crown Council, Mr. S.E. Teh, said Koh raped the girl in the car some time after 8 o'clock on the morning of Jan. 11.

It was alleged that when she struggled, he caught her and handled her roughly.

Koh denied the offence, claiming he was elsewhere at the time.

The jury, after a 60-minute deliberation, returned a six-one majority verdict of guilty.

Used violence

Saying he concurred with the decision, the judge told Koh: "The offence you have committed is a grave one. You saw fit to inflict pain and mental distress on this young girl who has done you no harm whatsoever.

"Further, you used a degree of violence upon her, which cannot be permitted."

Mr. P.F. de Souza appeared for the defence.