Man's jail sentence amended to fine after appeal
By Ong Dai Lin | Posted: 16 May 2011 1603 hrs
SINGAPORE: A man, who had been sentenced to four weeks' jail in March for not updating his residential address on his identity card, was successful in his appeal and was fined S$500 instead.
Hidayat Suratman, 38, was staying at a friend's flat after going through a divorce and had used his father's address as he had wanted his letters to be sent to his father's home.
Unfortunately, loansharks whom he had borrowed money from descended on his father's flat and harassed the elderly man.
In the appeal hearing on Monday, Justice V K Rajah said Hidayat did not update his address not because he wanted to avoid the loansharks but because he wanted to receive his letters at his father's flat.
Justice Rajah said the statement of facts did not show that Hidayat had intentionally used his father's address without the latter's knowledge.
The judge said it was more of an administrative error and amended the sentence to a S$500 fine instead.
- CNA/ir
