Ah nehs...

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#33

Ex-chief priest of Sri Mariamman Temple charged with misappropriating $2 million in jewellery

Indian national Kandasamy Senapathi is said to have committed the offences between 2016 and last year.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

16 FEB 2021

SINGAPORE - The former chief priest of Sri Mariamman Temple in South Bridge Road has been hauled to court over allegations that he misappropriated multiple pieces of jewellery from the Hindu place of worship.

Indian national Kandasamy Senapathi, 37, was on Tuesday (Feb 16) charged with five counts each of criminal breach of trust and dealing with the benefits of his alleged criminal activities.

He is said to have committed the offences between 2016 and last year.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Janice See said that the pawn value of the jewellery is more than $2 million.

Kandasamy is also accused of removing from Singapore benefits of his alleged ill-gotten gains totalling more than $140,000.

He is said to have remitted the monies to India through financial institutions such as the State Bank of India and the Indian Overseas Bank.

The temple said in a statement last year that gold ornaments are frequently used for prayers.

They are kept in the custody of the chief priest in the inner sanctum of the temple, with regular audits conducted to ensure that the ornaments are physically accounted for.

A spokesman for Sri Mariamman Temple said the items were discovered missing during the last audit in 2020.

The chief priest was then questioned. The missing items were subsequently returned.

"As it appeared that an offence (had) been committed, a police report was lodged notwithstanding the fact that the temple suffered no loss," added the spokesman.

The Hindu Endowments Board told The Straits Times on Tuesday that Kandasamy was terminated from his post after the temple discovered the loss.

He has been on a special pass here since.

Defence lawyer Mohan Das Naidu told the court that Kandasamy has made full restitution.

His bail was set at $100,000 and his case has been adjourned to March 15.

For each count of criminal breach of trust, an offender can be jailed for up to 15 years and fined.

And for each count of dealing with the benefits of criminal conduct, an offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined up to $500,000.

 

[syed putra]

#26

Valet driver jailed for stealing client's S$15,000 Hublot watch, father flew to London to buy it back
View attachment 102833
The Hublot King Power Red Devil Manchester United. (Photo: chrono24.com)
By Lydia Lam@LydiaLamCNA
28 Jan 2021

This must be a fake watch.
King power is associated with Leicester city football club. Cannot be bunchester united.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#34

Teen in $48,000 armed robbery in Jurong gets reformative training

Kotta Kumar Jeswanth is one of the four who were accused of robbing OT Credit at Block 135 Jurong Gateway of $48,000 in cash on Nov 19, 2020.
ST PHOTO: JEAN IAU

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

18 FEB 2021

SINGAPORE - A teenager, who had earlier committed a range of offences including assault, was awaiting his probation suitability report when he returned to a life of crime.

He committed armed robbery at a licensed money lending firm in Jurong last November.

Kotta Kumar Jeswanth, now 19, was sentenced on Thursday (Feb 18) to undergo reformative training for a minimum of one year.

This means that he will be detained in a centre and made to follow a strict regimen that includes foot drills and counselling.

He pleaded guilty in January to his latest offences including armed robbery and wrongfully restraining a woman while committing the crime.

The cases involving three other men, who are allegedly linked to the robbery, are still pending.

They are: Karrtik Stalniraj and Tusheintar Segaran, both 22, and Arunasalam Kannan, 27.

Before committing the heist, Kotta admitted on Oct 19 last year to one count each of assault, unlawfully meeting others for a social purpose amid the Covid-19 outbreak, and disturbing the peace by fighting in a public place.

The court then called for a report to assess his suitability for probation and he was slated to be sentenced on Nov 30 last year.

Instead of staying out of trouble, he committed armed robbery with two of his alleged accomplices earlier that month.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Chong Yonghui said that Kotta met up with Karrtik and Tusheintar near OT Credit at Block 135 Jurong Gateway Road at around noon on Nov 19 last year. Ms Candy Yang was the sole OT Credit employee present at the time.

The DPP added: "Inside the shop, the accused accosted the victim by pulling her hair using his left hand and holding a karambit knife in his right hand.

"The accused told the victim not to shout and demanded that she throw cash into a grey haversack which he was carrying in front of his body. The victim was afraid for her safety and complied out of fear."

In the meantime, the court heard that Karrtik searched the premises for more cash while Tusheintar acted as a lookout.

Ms Yang then put money into Kotta's haversack. Subsequently, he took her to the back of the shop and locked her inside a back office.

Karambit knives used in the robbery, as well as cash and some of the items believed to have been bought using the stolen cash, that were seized by police during the arrests.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

The trio fled the scene with $48,000 in cash.

The DPP said that the men later met up with Arunasalam at a Lim Chu Kang cemetery to split their ill-gotten gains.

Kotta, who received $14,000, handed $8,000 to Arunasalam before telling the older man to pass the cash to his family and girlfriend.

Kotta also passed the knife and haversack to Arunasalam and told him to get rid of them.

Kotta was wearing an electronic tag, a device used to monitor criminal offenders, when he committed the robbery.

At around 4.20pm, he removed the device from his body, causing $500 in damage.

The court heard that closed-circuit television footage showed the trio committing the heist and police later arrested the offenders.

Kotta was represented by lawyers Patrick Fernandez and Cheryl Tan.

On Thursday, they told the court that their client is remorseful, adding: "Kotta was not the mastermind of the armed robbery... Rather, (he) was influenced by friends who suggested committing robbery to resolve their financial problems."

For armed robbery, an offender can be jailed for between five and 20 years and receive at least 12 strokes of the cane.

 

[ilovechinesegal]

Ask all ah neh move to Africa as they have the same shit skin.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#35

Cop's wife who tortured maid to death pleads guilty to culpable homicide

Gaiyathiri Murugayan being taken back to her home at Block 145 Bishan Street 11 by police for investigations on Aug 3, 2016.
PHOTO: LIANHE WANBAO

Selina Lum
Law Correspondent

23 FEB 2021

SINGAPORE - Chilling footage of an emaciated domestic worker being grabbed by the hair and shaken like a rag doll was played in court on Tuesday (Feb 23).

Her Singaporean employer, the wife of a police officer, admitted she had starved, tortured and ultimately killed her 24-year-old Myanmar helper.

Prosecutors are seeking life imprisonment for Gaiyathiri Murugayan, 40, after she pleaded guilty to 28 charges, the most serious being one of culpable homicide.

For close to 10 months, the maid, Ms Piang Ngaih Don, was physically assaulted almost daily, deprived of food and rest, and made to shower and relieve herself with the toilet door open.

In the last 12 days of her life, she was tied to the window grille at night while she slept on the floor.

The Myanmar national weighed 24kg when she died on July 26, 2016, from the final assault, having lost 38 per cent of her body weight since she started working for the family on May 28, 2015.

The ordeal she suffered in the last month of her life was captured on CCTV cameras that Gaiyathiri and her husband, Kevin Chelvam, 41, had installed in various parts of their Bishan flat to monitor the maid and their two children.

In one incident, the couple's one-year-old son could be seen toddling around as his mother assaulted the maid.

Gaiyathiri's mother, Prema S. Naraynasamy, 61, who often stayed at the flat, was also seen in the footage.

Both Prema and Chelvam face multiple hurt-related charges in connection with the victim. Their cases are pending in the State Courts.

The defence is seeking a global jail term of 14 years for Gaiyathiri, noting she developed major depressive disorder while she was pregnant with her son, and this amplified her obsessive compulsive personality disorder.

But prosecutors argued her psychiatric condition had already been taken into account when the charge for Ms Piang's death was reduced from murder to culpable homicide.

Justice See Kee Oon will give his decision on the sentence at a later date.

Ms Piang Ngaih Don was physically assaulted almost daily for close to 10 months before her death
PHOTO: HELPING HANDS FOR MIGRANT WORKERS

The court heard that Ms Piang, who had a three-year-old son, was working outside Myanmar for the first time and was not allowed to have a mobile phone or have any day off.

Gaiyathiri was unhappy with her performance and felt she was slow, had poor hygiene practices and ate too much.

She established a set of rules involving hygiene and order and would shout when she felt Ms Piang was being disobedient. This escalated to physical abuse in October 2015.

CCTV footage showed Gaiyathiri pouring cold water on Ms Piang, slapping, pushing, punching, kicking her and stomping on her while she was on the ground.

She also hit Ms Piang with objects like a plastic bottle or metal ladle, pulled her from the ground by the hair, burned her with a heated iron and choked her.

The maid's meals often comprised sliced bread soaked in water, cold food straight from the refrigerator or some rice at night.

She was only allowed to sleep for about five hours a night and did her chores wearing multiple layers of face masks as Gaiyathiri found her unhygienic.

Between 11.40pm and 11.55pm on July 25, Gaiyathiri assaulted Ms Piang for being too slow in doing laundry.

Gaiyathiri and Prema then took turns to pour water on her and assaulted her together, and left her tied to the window grille without any dinner.

Between around 4.55am and 5am, Gaiyathiri repeatedly kicked and stomp on Ms Piang's head and neck area repeatedly, grabbing her by the hair and pulling her head back such that her neck extended backwards twice, and choking her repeatedly.

At 7.30am, Ms Piang was found motionless and Chelvam left for work.

After failing to revive her, Prema suggested they call for a doctor.

Gaiyathiri called a nearby clinic between 9.30am and 9.45am and asked for a house call, lying to the nurse she found the victim on the kitchen floor.

Dr Grace Kwan, through the nurse, suggested calling for an ambulance but Gaiyathiri insisted on waiting for the doctor.

While waiting, the two women changed Ms Piang out of her wet clothes and carried her to the living room sofa.

Police officers escorting Gaiyathiri Murugayan (left, in red) and her mother Prema Naraynasamy (right, in red) to their home at Block 145 in Bishan Street 11 for investigations into the case, on Aug 3, 2016.
PHOTO: ST FILE

When Dr Kwan arrived at about 10.50am, she told both women the maid was dead, but they expressed shock and lied she had moved just minutes earlier.

Dr Kwan insisted they call the police but Gaiyathiri asked for some time to call her husband.

When the doctor asked Gaiyathiri if she had beaten the victim, she denied doing so.

After a few minutes, Dr Kwan called for an ambulance.

Paramedics arrived at about 11.30am and pronounced Ms Piang dead.

An autopsy report found a total of 31 recent scars and 47 external injuries all over the maid's body.

It found that the repeated choking of the victim on July 25 had led to oxygen deprivation to the brain, which resulted in death.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#36

Man jailed, fined for stealing 6 deity statues, prayer items from Geylang temple during circuit breaker
By LOUISA TANG
Published MARCH 10, 2021

• Rudra Cavill Pubalasingam pleaded guilty to one charge each of housebreaking to commit theft and leaving his home without a reasonable excuse.
• Rudra Cavill Pubalasingam first met a friend and took her to his girlfriend’s home during the circuit breaker period
• After sending his friend home at Geylang, he noticed the statues in a nearby temple
• He broke in and stole them, along with some prayer accessories, purportedly to set up an altar of his own

SINGAPORE — He first broke the law by meeting a friend and going to his girlfriend’s flat in Bedok during the Covid-19 circuit breaker period last April, when movement restrictions had been imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Then, after sending his friend home in Geylang, Rudra Cavill Pubalasingam broke into a nearby temple, stealing six statues of deities worth about S$4,600 and some prayer accessories, including a miniature coffin.

For his offences, the 38-year-old Singaporean was sentenced on Wednesday (March 10) to one year and two months’ jail and a fine of S$2,000. He has to serve 10 more days behind bars if he cannot pay the fine.

He pleaded guilty to one charge each of housebreaking to commit theft and leaving his home without a reasonable excuse.

The court heard that he was in the Geylang area on the evening of April 26 last year and happened to meet a friend identified only as Elaine. The pair chatted and later went to his girlfriend’s flat.

At about 3am the next day, Rudra and Elaine left in a private-hire car and alighted near Geylang Lorong 21. She had asked him to accompany her home because it was late.

After they parted ways, he used a toilet nearby.

He then noticed some statues of deities on an altar inside the Le Regal mixed development building at Block 340 Geylang Road. Court documents stated that the building was being used as a place of worship — that is, a temple.

Deciding to steal the statues, Rudra forcefully pushed the main door open and dislodged the latch holding it shut. He then took the items, placed them into black trash bags he had found there, and left.

He took a taxi back to his girlfriend’s flat, repacked the items into other bags and hid them under a tree along a nearby canal.

Later that afternoon, one of the temple's workers called the police saying: “The showroom temple got broken into… We just discovered this had happened.”

Around 6.30pm, Rudra returned to Geylang Lorong 21 for work purposes. When another friend told him that the police were looking for him, he replied to tell the police his location.

Officers soon arrived and arrested him. He then led them to where he had hidden the items.

The temple eventually replaced the stolen statues for religious reasons.

WANTED TO SET UP AN ALTAR

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Daryl Pang revealed that Rudra had a history of theft offences.

Most recently, he was jailed 20 years and given 12 strokes of the cane in 2006 after being convicted of robbery with hurt and other offences. He was released from prison in August 2018 and committed these latest offences during his remission period.

DPP Pang said: “Such egregious record of offending would typically make the accused eligible for either corrective training or preventive detention. Nevertheless, the prosecution recognises that the breach is not that severe and will be asking for a term of imprisonment for reasons of proportionality.”

In mitigation, Rudra’s lawyer Favian Kang from law firm Peter Low & Choo told the court that his client had chanced upon the statues known as “Tua Ji Ya Pek” — a pair of guardian deities that worshippers believe will help them through difficult times and bring wealth.

While Rudra was a Hindu, he also believed in Taoism and worshipped the deities. He then thought of setting up a prayer altar near his girlfriend’s flat so that he and others could worship, Mr Kang added.

The lawyer also said that Rudra had fully cooperated with the police.

For housebreaking in order to commit theft, he could have been jailed up to 10 years and fined.

For leaving his home without a reasonable excuse, he could have been jailed up six months or fined up to S$10,000, or both.

 

[cocobobo]

https://www.businessinsider.com/most-unreliable-car-brands-for-2020-jd-power-2020-2
Most unreliable car brands for 2020, according to JD Power: ranked

26 Feb 2020 — Land Rover finished last among 32 car brands in JD ... These are the 16 most unreliable car brands for 2020

Its sad that the car brands i once loved, Jaguar & Land Rover, are now scraping the barrel after ah nehs bought both.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#37
"He also claimed that the original tapes of his composition were swept away in the 2005 Mumbai floods."

Oh yeah, what an odd incident. Guess the original tapes were his only belongings swept away in the floods. His other belongings were not swept away.

Count On Me Singapore embroiled in copyright tussle with Indian version

The two songs are virtually identical, except for small changes to the lyrics where "Singapore" was changed to "India" or "Mother India".
PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM YOUTUBE
Suzanne Sng

MAR 18, 2021

SINGAPORE - One of Singapore's most iconic and catchiest National Day songs, Count On Me Singapore, has become embroiled in a copyright tussle.

Indian composer Joseph Mendoza has been accused of copying the 1986 song, but he is claiming he wrote his version, We Can Achieve, in 1983.

He also said that he only found out about Count On Me Singapore a few days ago.

The two songs are virtually identical, except for small changes to the lyrics where "Singapore" was changed to "India" or "Mother India".

In a statement to the media on Tuesday (March 16), he claimed that 250 orphans had performed the song in 1983 after he had written it while teaching music at the Bal Bhavan orphanage in Mumbai, where he is based.

He also claimed that the original tapes of his composition were swept away in the 2005 Mumbai floods.

"The only living proof I can offer you are the 250 orphans who first learnt it in 1983 and all the orphans at Bal Bhavan in the successive years too," said the 58-year-old, who claimed he was a graduate of the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California.

He sold the rights to the song to a Christian book and record store, Pauline India, and recorded the song in 1999.

Although he acknowledged similarities between the two songs, he insisted that there was no way he could have known about Count On Me Singapore as there was no Internet in those days.

Count on Me Singapore was composed by Hugh Harrison, arranged by Jeremy Monteiro and performed by Clement Chow.

Harrison, who is Canadian, responded on Wednesday in the YouTube comments of the song: "The fact that he is claiming now in 2021 that he is the original creator of the song, implying I copied the song from him, is a direct attack on my integrity and professionalism and for that he could be sued for slander and/or libel.

"As it stands now, I have written him and given him the opportunity to rescind his claim and am awaiting his response."

The Facebook page of Singapore's Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth has also weighed in: "This is one of our most beloved and recognised national songs, we are happy that it seems to have struck a chord with people in India as well. We thank Singaporeans for coming forward to express your sense of pride in our national song. It may be a copy of our song, but sometimes, imitation is the best form of flattery."

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Count On Me, Singapore copyright saga: Indian composer withdraws claims to song following MCCY probe

Mr Joseph Mendoza (left) had claimed that he wrote We Can Achieve in 1983, while Count On Me, Singapore was composed by Canadian Hugh Harrison in 1986.
PHOTOS: JOEY MENDOZA/FACEBOOK, COURTESY OF HUGH HARRISON

Anjali Raguraman

MAR 21, 2021

SINGAPORE - Following a probe by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), Indian composer Joseph Mendoza has admitted that he does not have evidence to prove that he wrote We Can Achieve - a song that is near identical to Singaporean National Day tune Count On Me, Singapore.

Mr Mendoza, who was accused of copying the song, has backtracked and now "does not lay any claim to the lyrics and tune of the song (Count On Me,Singapore)", the Ministry said in a Facebook post on Sunday (March 21).

The songs were at the centre of a plagiarism controversy that erupted last week.

Mr Mendoza had vehemently claimed that he wrote We Can Achieve in 1983, three years before Count On Me, Singapore, which was composed by Canadian Hugh Harrison and arranged by home-grown jazz stalwart Jeremy Monteiro in 1986.

India loves our "Count on me, Singapore" song, LOL


The Straits Times reported Mr Monteiro's first-hand account of being in the room when the song was written in late 1985,and of its completion in 1986.

MCCY, which holds the copyright to the song, cited the contemporaneous evidence of Mr Monteiro, as well as checks it conducted in India which surfaced "no evidence or records whatsoever of Mr Mendoza having any rights to We Can Achieve from 1983 or anytime thereafter".

Along with accepting that the Government of Singapore holds the copyright to the music and lyrics of the song, Mr Mendoza, according to MCCY, has also "unconditionally and irrevocably withdrawn any claims of whatsoever nature, directly or indirectly, with regard to the lyrics and tune of We Can Achieve, which is similar to the song".

"He has informed all of his associates and networks of the above, and instructed all social media platforms to remove We Can Achieve."

MCCY's statement added that: "Mr Mendoza has apologised for the 'confusion caused' and also states that he has no intention of attacking the integrity or professionalism of Mr Hugh Harrison."

The ministry also accepted Mendoza's apology, and reiterated that: "It is important that our rights to the song are protected and that there remains no doubt as to our origination and ownership of the Song. MCCY accepts Mr Mendoza's apology on the terms set out above, and will treat the matter as closed, on this basis."

Monteiro feels that "it's a good outcome for everyone concerned",

He told The Straits Times: "There are a few different copyright and legal issues there, but having been involved, I think it's been handled well by everyone."

"To me, it's no longer an issue - as both a director in Composers and Authors Society of Singapore (Compass) and as a musician involved in the process."

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#38

Man who removed his mask and coughed at police officer sentenced to 14 weeks' jail

Devraj Tamil Selvan also admitted to illegally riding a motorcycle in August 2020.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Dominic Low

MAR 29, 2021

SINGAPORE - A man who removed his mask and deliberately coughed at a police officer in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic last year was sentenced to 14 weeks' jail on Monday (March 29).

Devraj Tamil Selvan, 29, pleaded guilty to one count each of using criminal force and abusive behaviour towards a police officer, as well as one charge of using abusive words at two officers.

He also admitted to illegally riding a motorcycle in August last year, for which he will be disqualified from driving for three years after his release from prison.

Ten other charges were taken into consideration during his sentencing.

They include three charges related to the use of abusive words or behaviour against public servants, while two are for voluntarily causing hurt to other individuals.

On Sept 13 last year, three police officers responded to a call for assistance at a Choa Chu Kang flat where Devraj lived. The caller had alleged that a person in the flat was "using violence".

The officers later arrested Devraj after he slapped his girlfriend - who is not named in court documents - in their presence.

He later used his body to push against one of the officers as he was being escorted to the police car.

Inside the vehicle, Devraj claimed that he could not breathe properly.

An ambulance was called and he was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital for further assessment.

Devraj later removed his mask and deliberately coughed several times at the police officer he had earlier pushed, despite multiple warnings by the officers and the hospital staff.

He also verbally abused two police officers.

The court also heard that Devraj rode his motorcycle from Choa Chu Kang to Jurong on Aug 12 last year, despite having been disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for the period between Jan 17, 2019 and July 16 this year.

On Monday, defence lawyer Justin Ng said Devraj has been looking after his mother, who has depression.

The court allowed Devraj's request to defer his jail term to April 26, so that he can settle caretaker arrangements for his mother.

For using criminal force on a police officer, Devraj could have been jailed for up to four years, or fined, or both.

First-time offenders guilty for using abusive behaviour or words towards a public servant can be jailed for up to 12 months, or fined up to $5,000, or both. Repeat offenders can be jailed up to two years, fined up to $10,000, or both.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#39

5 days’ jail for lorry driver who swerved to avoid cyclist and crashed into biker, causing brain injury
By LOUISA TANG
Published MARCH 29, 2021

Screen grab/Google maps
The scene of a collision between a lorry driver and a motorcyclist, at the T-junction between Kian Teck Avenue and Kian Teck Road in the Upper Jurong Road area.

• Rasu Edison Raja was jailed and given a two-year driving ban
• He pleaded guilty to one count of causing grievous hurt to Mr Mohd Noranis Isa
• Rasu had intended to turn right at a T-junction when he saw a cyclist move off from behind a trailer
• He swerved to avoid the cyclist instead of stopping or slowing down and struck the motorcyclist
• The biker suffered multiple fractures and a traumatic brain injury

SINGAPORE — A lorry driver who collided into a motorcyclist in the Upper Jurong Road area, after swerving onto the path of oncoming traffic to avoid a cyclist, was jailed five days on Monday (March 29).

Rasu Edison Raja was also disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for two years. His lawyer told the court that he would be repatriated after serving his jail term.

The 35-year-old Indian national pleaded guilty to one count of causing grievous hurt to Mr Mohd Noranis Isa, a Malaysian then aged 26, by a negligent act.

The court heard that at about 6.20pm on Aug 8, 2019, Rasu was driving along Kian Teck Avenue in the Upper Jurong Road area when he intended to turn right at a T-junction between Kian Teck Avenue and Kian Teck Road.

Kian Teck Avenue had two lanes in each direction, divided by a central single white line.

At that point, a trailer with its headlights and hazard lights turned on was stationary in the lane nearest the footpath.

Part of the trailer jutted out onto the other lane as two large rubbish bins had been placed next to the pavement.

As Rasu approached Kian Teck Road, where he intended to turn right, he saw a cyclist move off from behind the trailer onto the lane nearest the centre dividing line.

However, he did not take the necessary precautions of stopping or slowing down significantly. Instead, he swerved right across the centre dividing line in order to avoid the cyclist.

He ended up completely encroaching onto a lane with oncoming traffic headed towards him.

At the same time, Mr Noranis was approaching on his motorcycle from the opposite direction in that lane, with the headlights turned on.

Rasu had an unobstructed view of Mr Noranis but failed to notice him and crashed into him.

Mr Noranis’ head struck the lorry’s right side mirror and his motorcycle collided into the other vehicle’s front right bumper. He then fell off his bike.

The bike had become stuck to the lorry’s front right tyre, causing the lorry’s steering wheel to lock. It continued veering right and eventually came to a stop.

Rasu alighted and helped Mr Noranis, who was later taken to the National University Hospital in an unconscious state.

He had suffered a traumatic brain injury, several fractures — including his skull and collarbone — and multiple superficial abrasions. He underwent emergency surgery and another procedure, and was warded for 37 days in total before being discharged with 99 days of hospitalisation leave.

'POOR DRIVING RECORD'

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Goh Qi Shuen sought at least five days’ jail and 18 months of disqualification, noting that Rasu had no prior criminal convictions but “has maintained a poor driving record”. She did not elaborate on this.

In mitigation, Rasu’s lawyer John Vincent said that his client was remorseful and wished “he could turn back the clock and press his emergency brake to avoid injuring the victim”. He had been in a “state of panic” when he saw the cyclist in front of him.

The lawyer also argued that the cyclist had suddenly emerged from behind the trailer and encroached into Rasu’s path.

“In order to avoid one accident, he ended up committing another,” Mr Vincent added.

In response, DPP Goh disagreed, saying that the cyclist’s actions were “very reasonable and expected” and he had not suddenly emerged onto the first lane.

In sentencing Rasu, District Judge Janet Wang rejected Mr Vincent’s argument, making her observations from video footage of the accident. She then told the court that as the driver of a heavy vehicle, he “ought to have exercised a heightened sense of alert to other road users”.

The judge had also asked if any enforcement action had been taken against the cyclist, to which DPP Goh replied that the prosecution was unsure if the cyclist could be identified.

“If he was traceable, he probably would have been charged,” Mr Vincent chimed in.

Rasu could have been jailed for up to two years or fined up to S$5,000, or both.
Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapo...mAfLSNMqEhCIBYfUlY-pWFIbbLhJB7Gll0Uk9XM54_DgM

 

[syed putra]

 

[syed putra]

 

[syed putra]

 

[syed putra]

 

[syed putra]

 

[syed putra]

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

All johnny-come-lately.
Those holding top/senior positions at tech companies like Microsoft, Google benefited from western technology and studying and/or working in the west.
These western-educated ah nehs are culturally more refined than those from South Asia and South-east Asia.
And if they have succeeded in the west, they will not come to Singapore.
This leaves Singapore to be the destination for the non-creme de la creme ah nehs from South Asia and South-east Asia.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#40

Mastermind of ruse involving Iras' productivity scheme gets three years' jail and $295,272 penalty

Magician S. Chandran will spend an additional 30 weeks behind bars if unable to pay the amount.
PHOTO: ST FILE

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

MAR 31, 2021

SINGAPORE - Magician S. Chandran was on Wednesday (March 31) sentenced to three years' jail and ordered to pay a penalty of $295,272 for causing a government agency to disburse $73,818 in public funds to individuals who made bogus claims.

He will spend an additional 30 weeks behind bars if unable to pay the amount.

The Singaporean was found guilty last July of three counts of helping three individuals make fraudulent claims under the Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) scheme, an Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) initiative meant to boost productivity.

The 46-year-old, who the prosecutors described as the mastermind of the ruse, still has 55 other charges against him. These will be dealt with at a later date.

The PIC scheme had offered tax deductions or cash payouts to companies that made genuine investments to enhance productivity and innovation, such as by investing in staff training, information technology or automation equipment.

As part of the conditions, businesses had to employ at least three local employees before they were eligible for the PIC cash payouts.

Chandran, who was the sole proprietor of a firm called Paradize Consultancy, had helped others obtain the monies even though they were not eligible for the scheme.
The trio - Mahendran Rajoo, Shanti Peerisamy and Crystal Priya Ragavan - received their monies in 2014. They were all dealt with earlier.

For his role in the ruse, the court ordered Mahendran to pay a $49,212 penalty in 2017. He was also given the maximum $5,000 fine.

The Straits Times understands that the two women were given conditional warnings.

In earlier proceedings, it was revealed that Chandran had helped Mahendran register a sole proprietorship called M Midhuna.

Chandran was aware that the company had no employees. Despite this, he "instigated and convinced" Mahendran to make a bogus PIC claim, said prosecutors.

Chandran committed similar offences with the two women.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sanjiv Vaswani, as well as Iras prosecutors Norman Teo and Christopher Lim, said the trio had handed half of their ill-gotten gains to Chandran.

On Wednesday, Mr Teo urged the court to sentence Chandran to three years' jail with a penalty of $295,272.

Mr Teo also pressed for him to be given an additional 30 weeks' jail if he is unable to pay the amount.

Stressing that Chandran's offences were difficult to detect, the prosecutor added: "The offender was the mastermind behind this whole fraudulent PIC scheme. He was the one that devised the falsity to portray to Iras that the PIC claims made were legitimate when in fact they were not."

Chandran, who was unrepresented, told District Judge Kessler Soh that he is the sole breadwinner of his family and that a jail term would cause his loved ones to lose financial support.

He also said that he has "major depression" and is undergoing treatment for the condition.

Chandran intends to appeal against his conviction and sentence. He was offered bail of $200,000 on Wednesday.

 

[syed putra]

All johnny-come-lately.
Those holding top/senior positions at tech companies like Microsoft, Google benefited from western technology and studying and/or working in the west.
These western-educated ah nehs are culturally more refined than those from South Asia and South-east Asia.
And if they have succeeded in the west, they will not come to Singapore.
This leaves Singapore to be the destination for the non-creme de la creme ah nehs from South Asia and South-east Asia.

Those indian ceo's at microsoft, pepsi etc graduated from indian universities and colleges.