SINGAPORE – The man who said he did not remember raping a woman three times in three locations, within a span of 20 minutes, has done an about-turn and now wants to plead guilty.

According to Lianhe Wanbao, the female victim who was allegedly raped along Martin Road in 2013 was due to testify in court today (May 4). However, the suspect, 30-year-old Lim Choon Beng, unexpectedly told the court through his lawyer that he wanted to plead guilty to the charges instead.

Just one day earlier, he had refused to plead guilty and claimed that he did not remember his actions.

Lim, who was then 26, is being accused of sexually assaulting and raping a 24-year-old woman at three different locations along Martin Road in just 20 minutes.

The prosecution brought charges of rape, sexual assault and outrage of modesty against Lim in court on Tuesday (May 3).

The victim, who was working in Singapore as a singer, had reportedly returned to China after the incident, but came back to Singapore to testify in the shocking case.

It was revealed in court that her panties were found torn and near the spot where he allegedly first assaulted her.

His DNA was found on her bra, while her blood was on his clothes and underwear.

ljessica@sph.com.sg

A bus driver, who not only stopped a young man from further molesting a female student but also called the police to apprehend the culprit, was hailed as a hero by commuters and netizens.

The driver of a Taiwan public bus became famous after a video capturing the whole incident went viral and news sites reported it recently.

The suspicious action of a young man groping the student from behind caught the attention of the driver who was waiting for a line of commuters to board his bus.

The driver told off the man after he tapped his shoulder, demanding to know what he was trying to do.

The latter turned sheepish and denied molesting the girl. As he tried to escape, he was ordered by the driver to remain on the bus. He then turned to the girl and said: “Don’t worry. Uncle will protect you.”

The young man was handed over to the police after he made a call.

A driver who went beyond the call of duty indeed. The case is only one example of drivers of public buses who lent a helping hand when commuters complained about a crime taking place. They either called the police or drove to the nearest police post or station.

Bus drivers who stop a crime or are kind to commuters get praises

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Facebook screengrabs

Other drivers with a heart

Caring bus drivers who go the extra mile to provide a safe and enjoyable ride seem to be obscured by brickbats against their inconsiderate counterparts.

Some certainly deserve our praise and attention, as singled out in social media posts here and elsewhere.

In another example, netizens were touched by a heartwarming video on Facebook showing a bus ‘uncle’ (in photo below) in Taiwan who didn’t chase away a young girl who declared she had no money when she got up his bus with her sister.

After politely declining the second girl’s offer of a packet of biscuit in a barter exchange, the driver gave them a stored value card each instead so that they could take the ride legitimately.

Driver with a ready smile

Here in Singapore, Facebook user Nasyitah Tan Wah Ling was surprised to note that SBS Transit bus driver Ihsan Bin Tomino actually bothered to greet each commuter who boarded his bus with a ready smile.

Writing in her post on May 1, she declared him as the best driver she had ever met in the past three and a half years.

At first she thought he was merely doing it because of some personal agenda, but quickly realised he was truly sincere about it.

One Facebook user said :”This is the kind we should be bringing in to Singapore man!”

chenj@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE – The eight Bangladeshi nationals who were arrested between late March and early April were not known to be radicalised or involved in terrorism-related activities at the time when they first came to work in Singapore, the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Wednesday (May 4).

MHA released this information after announcing on Tuesday that the men were detained by the Internal Security Department in April. The men were planning to stage attacks in Bangladesh and they even had a target list, bomb-making manuals and had raised funds to secure firearms back home.

MHA added that the men had each worked in Singapore for between three and ten years and had all been employed in the local construction and marine industries. However, there was no significant concentration in any particular company nor did the men live in the same accommodation.

The men were identified to be members of the Islamic State of Bangladesh (ISB) which communed at open parks or fields. According to MHA, the group shared large amounts of radical propaganda and videos which deepened the radicalism of the members. There was also a leader, deputy leader among other assigned roles.

The Bangladeshi authorities have been informed of the group and its activities, and have been helpful in providing some information, the ministry said.

The ministry added that there is no indication that this group of detainees are also members of the Bangladeshi radical religious group who were arrested last year. Some of them are, however, personally acquainted with a few members of the radical religious group because they chanced upon one another in Singapore.

The Bangladeshi nationals in both incidents were not known to have targeted Singapore at the time of their arrests.

debwong@sph.com.sg