It was a case of gang rape committed in full view of scores of young people.

It came to pass that eight thugs, wearing no masks, barged into a karaoke hall packed with young people who were singing and dancing and enjoying themselves. The gang of trouble-makers moved straight into the crowd which was intoxicated by the throbbing music and snatched from among them a young girl and pinned her to a settee.

No amount of yelling for help, nor her fighting her attackers tooth and nail, could save her from the clutches of the villains. Petrified, none of the dancers dared move a muscle; they were virtually transfixed to the spot as if mesmerized.

After having finished with the girl, they made for the door and hailed two taxis. The girl, however, got the better of them by firmly planting herself between her molesters and the door of the cab, effectively barring their retreat.

The stalemate was brought to an end when a security guard intervened. Acting contrary to all expectations, he pushed the girl aside, thereby helping the criminals flee the scene.

Far from being someone prepared to accept defeat, the girl hailed another taxi, jumped in and told the driver to follow the two fast receding cabs at full throttle. In the meantime, she dialled 110, which resulted in the rapists being arrested.

Rather than a "cops and robbers" film, this was a real-life incident I heard about the other day on the radio.

Though the criminal case has come to a close, it provides plenty of food for thought.

First, I deplore the cowardice displayed by the young people in the watching crowd, whose "cock-a-doodle-doos" never fail to remind us of the fact that they are the pace-setters of modern life. It turns out, though, they are mere followers of the philosophy handed down by our forefathers: to be an onlooker in whatever circumstances, as long as you are not the protagonist in a dispute, is proof against physical injury as well as emotional trauma.

This philosophy - preaching indifference - had, still has and probably always will have a significant impact on the behaviour of our children for the foreseeable future.

Second, as it was a premeditated crime, the perpetrators must have "cased the joint" and taken into account the possible reaction of the security guard on duty. It seems that they may not have expected to find that the man would be so tame and co-operative as to give them a free hand to engage in their business and flee the scene.

Third, the person who stands out most prominently in the entire affair is none other than the victim, the girl who had undergone savagery and humiliation that was past imagination. It must have taken a lot of grit for her to overcome her demureness and gather enough courage to stand up against her molesters.

Her exemplary role invalidates the universally known saying that: "Frailty, thy name is woman."

Finally, it is hoped that the criminal case may provide us all with the opportunity to have a glimpse into the complexities of human nature and decide for ourselves what to uphold and what not to uphold.

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