A 71-year-old man in Singapore who sexually assaulted a woman under the guise of performing a ritual to remove "black magic" was sentenced to six years and eight months in jail.

Per a CNA report, Mohamed Salleh Samad pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault against the 46-year-old victim, with a second similar charge taken into consideration.

According to prosecutors, he deceived the victim into believing his "rituals" would cure her ailments.

The victim, who suffered from stomach bloating and pain, believed her ex-husband had cast black magic on her.

An acquaintance introduced her to Salleh, who claimed to have healing abilities and had previously offered treatments for pain relief.

In August 2023, Salleh conducted an initial "ritual" at the victim’s home, which involved showering in salt and vinegar water.

When her symptoms persisted, she requested another session that month.

On the day of the second ritual, Salleh arrived at the victim’s house along with the acquaintance.

The victim’s husband and children were present, but Salleh convinced them to leave, saying their presence might interfere with the ritual. The acquaintance was also sent out to buy items from a Chinese medical shop.

With the victim alone, Salleh began by touching her body and assaulted her.

When the acquaintance returned, Salleh told the victim that an entity remained in her body and needed removal.

Believing it was necessary, she complied and moved to her bedroom, where Salleh assaulted her again, pretending to extract threads and cotton from her body.

After a few hours, Salleh declared the "ritual" complete and allowed the victim’s family to return.

She later confided in a friend and realized she had been deceived, leading her to file a police report.

As stated in the report, Salleh admitted that he knew his rituals would not cure the victim. The prosecution sought a jail term of six years and eight months to seven years and two months, arguing that his deception was elaborate and premeditated.

Given his age, he was spared caning, with two months’ jail imposed in lieu of four strokes.

Under Singapore law, sexual assault by penetration carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, along with fines or caning. #