On 29 July 2025, the High Court trial of Koh Lee Hwa, a 49-year-old renovation contractor and Singapore permanent resident, began. Koh is facing four serious charges, including one count of rape, one count of sexual assault by penetration, and two counts of outrage of modesty. These charges are in relation to an incident that allegedly occurred between 11:40am and 12:40pm on 23 August 2021.
According to court proceedings, the victim, whose identity has been withheld, initially engaged Koh in 2015 to renovate her flat. Over the years, their contact was infrequent and mostly professional. Their last communication before the alleged incident was in 2019. However, on 21 August 2021, the woman contacted Koh via WhatsApp to request his help with a faulty toilet light and a light switch in the kitchen.
Koh responded the next day, fixing the kitchen light switch and diagnosing a wiring fault in the main circuit switchboard as the cause of the toilet light failure. He quoted her $430 to fix the issue, and she transferred a $200 deposit to his bank account. Koh told her he would return the following day, 23 August, to complete the job with the necessary parts.
On the day of the incident, Koh returned to her flat and successfully repaired the toilet light. He then worked on the switchboard, located near the flat’s main door. During the repair, the woman exited her bedroom and briefly spoke with him about the ongoing electrical works.
It was at this point, according to the prosecution, that the alleged assault began. Koh is said to have suddenly pulled the woman toward him and hugged her without consent. She was shocked and pushed him away before retreating to her bedroom. There, she texted two friends about the unwanted hug.
Minutes later, Koh informed her that the repair was complete and asked her to check all the lights in the flat. As she checked the bedroom toilet light, Koh allegedly followed her, pushed her against a dressing table, and hugged her again. Despite her attempts to resist, Koh reportedly overpowered her.
The prosecution further claimed that Koh then pushed her onto the bed and proceeded to sexually assault and rape her, ignoring her repeated pleas to stop. The woman reportedly bit his shoulder during the assault in an effort to escape, but he did not stop. Koh left the flat shortly after the incident.
The woman, described as being in a dazed state, immediately texted a friend to report what had happened. That friend contacted two others, and all three went to the woman’s flat to support her. Although initially hesitant to go to the police, she agreed to visit a doctor. Her friends then drove her to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
At the hospital, medical staff referred her case to the police, and she filed a formal report at about 4:20pm on the same day. Koh was arrested at around 8pm that evening.
The trial is ongoing. The prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutors Emily Koh, Ng Jun Kai, and Yeo Kee Hwan, outlined these events during their opening address. The court documents do not reveal the woman’s age or the identity of other individuals present at the flat at the time of the incident.
Koh, who was 45 at the time of the alleged offences, has denied the charges. The High Court will continue to hear the case and examine the evidence presented.
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