SINGAPORE - The mother of a 15-year-old girl, who was troubled by the fact that the teenager often ran away from home, decided to let her daughter attend religious classes conducted by her co-worker.

However, the 60-year-old man betrayed the trust placed in him by sexually exploiting the victim over a period of more than three months.

On Sept 9, Kamsari Jumari, now 62, pleaded guilty to four counts of exploitative sexual penetration of a minor.

Another 11 charges for various sexual offences will be taken into consideration during sentencing.

Prosecutors urged the High Court to impose the maximum term of 20 years’ preventive detention, pointing to his extensive criminal record, which included convictions for theft, sex crimes and drug-related offences.

The current offences took place between January and April 2022.

This was less than two years after Kamsari was released from an eight-year preventive detention stint for, among other things, performing obscene acts in full view of his 11-year-old niece and sending a naked photo of himself to his 12-year-old granddaughter.

Justice Dedar Singh Gill adjourned the case after calling for a report to assess the man’s suitability for preventive detention.

Under preventive detention, repeat offenders are incarcerated for between seven and 20 years for the protection of the public. It does not offer the usual one-third remission for good behaviour.

An online check by The Straits Times showed that Kamsari is not registered as a religious teacher under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sruthi Boppana told the court that the victim’s mother got to know Kamsari, who was a fellow food delivery rider, in late 2021.

The mother also knew that the man provided religious classes at his home.

In January 2022, the victim ran away from home but was found by the police a few days later.

When her mother told Kamsari about this, he suggested that the victim attend his religious classes. 

The mother took up his suggestion, and engaged Kamsari to provide religious teachings to the victim and her three younger siblings.

Between January and April 2022, the mother paid him about $500 for the lessons, which were held at his flat twice a week.

During one session, Kamsari called the victim into a bedroom for a counselling session, while her siblings were in the living room.

While counselling the victim, he showed her a pornographic video on his mobile phone. Following this incident, he began to have sexually explicit conversations with her.

A few days later, during a lesson, he again called her into a bedroom and showed her a pornographic video while he touched her under her skirt.

He told the teen not to tell anyone about the fondling. She agreed as she felt that she was “making a mistake” and feared reprisal from her father, said the DPP.

Over time, the sexual acts became increasingly intrusive.

In March 2022, the victim ran away from home and stopped attending his classes.

On April 13, after he learnt that the girl had returned home, he obtained her mobile number from her mother.

He then contacted the victim on Telegram as he knew he could unilaterally delete the messages, and suggested that they use the app to communicate, as it was a “more private” platform.

After ascertaining that the victim’s mother did not check her messages, he resumed his sexually explicit conversations with her.

He later took her to an empty flat, where he engaged in sexual activities with the victim. The flat belonged to a volunteer of a charity, who had allowed him to stay there in 2021.

The offences came to light on April 17, 2022, when the girl’s mother found the messages on her phone.

Questioned by her mother, the victim revealed that Kamsari had sexually violated her during the religious classes.

The woman took the girl to lodge a police report on the same day. Kamsari was arrested two days later.