Singapore chef jailed eight and a half years for sexually assaulting 11-year-old girl at restaurant

A 63-year-old chef named Kassim Juhamat has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl at a restaurant, according to the New Straits Times. The incident occurred on June 27, 2025, while other staff members and customers were present at the establishment. Kassim pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual assault by penetration, along with two molestation charges and one charge of committing an obscene act with the victim.

The court took into consideration two molestation charges and one charge of committing an obscene act when deciding on Kassim's sentence. The jail term included six months of caning, but this was reduced to a six-month sentence due to Kassim's age, as he is over 50 and cannot be caned. The High Court heard that the victim, who first met Kassim during occasional visits to the restaurant, knew him as "Uncle Kassim."

On the day of the assault, which took place around 4:15 PM, Kassim reportedly assaulted the girl at a corner table despite her repeated objections and held her hand to prevent her from leaving. He released her at about 5 PM and told her to keep quiet about the incident. However, the girl informed someone about the event the following day after noticing a change in her behavior towards Kassim.

Initially, Kassim denied the allegations, but he reportedly admitted to them after being informed that the police would be contacted and the CCTV footage reviewed. Following this, a restaurant manager made a police report.