Police report two rape cases in two consecutive days

[Photo: Ricaela Diputado]

The Judiciary Police (PJ) announced that it had received reports of two rape cases in Macau on two consecutive days.

The latest case was disclosed on Wednesday at a special press conference.

The case involves a 64-year-old Hong Kong man who had been referred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on suspicion of raping a female acquaintance in a hotel room.

According to details released at the press conference, the victim, also from Hong Kong, had known the suspect for over one year.

According to the victim’s testimony, the man invited her to Macau on Monday to gamble and offered to cover her travel and hotel expenses. The suspect told the woman he would book two separate rooms, but upon arrival, she found that only one twin-bed room had been reserved.

After spending some time in the casino, the pair returned to the room to rest at approximately 3 a.m. on Tuesday. 

During the night, the suspect allegedly embraced the victim and forced her into sexual intercourse. The woman later sought help from other hotel guests, who then called the police.

The PJ said the suspect attempted to flee the scene but was apprehended by the hotel security staff and then handed over to the authorities.

A preliminary medical examination revealed superficial defensive wounds on the victim’s forearms and minor bruising on both cheeks and knees.

The PJ stated that there is strong evidence that the suspect committed the alleged crime. The force has forwarded the MP for further proceedings.

The announcement marked the second consecutive day that the PJ had reported an alleged sexual assault case, as on the previous day (Tuesday), a South Korean businessman identified was also accused of beating, raping, and imprisoning his former girlfriend in a local hotel room. The police identified the victim as a young non-local woman.

According to the PJ, the pair had been in a romantic relationship for one year before breaking up in April this year.

Despite the breakup, the pair remained in contact, and on May 22, the alleged victim traveled alone to Macau for tourism and checked into a hotel on Cotai.

After learning of her trip, the suspect followed her to Macau to demand a reconciliation, the woman told the police.

At approximately 11 p.m. that day, the man entered the woman’s room under the pretext of needing a place to stay and wanting to discuss their relationship.

When she refused to reconcile, the suspect was said to have lost control of his emotions, grabbed the victim, slammed her head against a wall, and then forcibly had sexual intercourse with her twice.

He later also confiscated her mobile phone and confined her to the room, authorities said.

The following morning at 7 a.m., the man allegedly beat the woman again and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her a third time.

As the woman’s family was unable to reach her or hear any news from her, they kept trying to call her phone.

The suspect then told the woman to pick up the call and reassure her family that she was safe. However, after speaking with the woman’s family members, they sensed that something was wrong and contacted the police.

The Public Security Police Force received the report at 10 a.m. that day and, after an initial investigation at the scene, transferred the case to the PJ for further follow-up.

A forensic medical examination found that the victim had multiple injuries and minor bruising on her body, consistent with ordinary harm to physical integrity. Based on a comprehensive investigation, the PJ stated that there is strong evidence that the suspect committed the crimes he is accused of, including deprivation of another’s freedom of movement and ordinary harm to physical integrity.

That case was also transferred to the MP for further proceedings.

Last year, Macau recorded a total of 32 rape cases, a number that represented a 33.3% decrease compared to the 48 cases reported in 2024.

Meanwhile, cases of child sexual abuse (involving minors under 14) rose to 39 incidents in the same year.

Law enforcement data indicate that over 70% of sexual assault cases reported in Macau involve non-residents, with the majority being tourists. The majority of reported cases occurred in hotel rooms, and some incidents were linked to financial disputes, illegal currency exchange activities, or prostitution.

Authorities have also periodically noted and investigated cases in which individuals file false rape reports, often tied to prior financial or romantic disputes.