Woman fined for school enrolment scam
POSTED: 03 Jun 2013 6:30 PM
SINGAPORE: Eager to get their child into a local school, two parents from China paid a coordinator $10,000 to help them secure a place.
Lee Mooi Hoon, 57, exploited that need by deceiving Mr Cai Jin and Madam Tang Wenjing into believing the money was donated to Ngee Ann Primary School, in return for their son's admission.
Lee was fined $5,000 on Monday after she was found guilty on one count of cheating.
The court was told that at the time of the offence in July 2009, Lee provided home-stay services to foreign students from China and assisted some in securing a place in schools in Singapore.
Investigations revealed that Lee informed Madam Tang that a $10,000 donation was required if her son was to be accepted into the school.
Lee reassured her that a receipt from the Ministry of Education or the school would be given.
A month later, Lee instructed the parents to bring their son to Ngee Ann Primary for an entry examination and interview.
She later told them their son had been accepted by the school, before requesting for $10,000.
She received the money in the form of a cheque from Mr Cai Jin.
Lee cashed the cheque and kept $2,000 for herself, and gave the remaining $8,000 to a Vivien Lim Ah Choo who assisted her in locating the school.
Lee did not give a receipt which she had promised to do so earlier.
The court heard that Lee has since made full restitution of $10,000.
In mitigation, Lee's lawyer said his client was remorseful and was a first-time offender.
The court also heard that Lee had acted "out of character" and that it was an "error in judgement".
For cheating, Lee could have been jailed up to three years and fined.
- CNA/de
