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[Vultan]

Man jailed for three weeks for taking video of co-tenant showering

Published on Mar 9, 2015 7:04 PM
By Lim Yi Han

SINGAPORE - A 48-year-old man was jailed three weeks on Monday for taking a video of his co-tenant when she was showering.

The incident took place on Dec 23 last year, around 12am.

The Malaysian and the victim were co-tenants in a HDB flat along New Upper Changi Road.

The victim, who cannot be named as there is a gag order, was about to put on her clothes after showering when she noticed a hand holding a mobile phone over the toilet door.

 

[Vultan]

Chinese national gets 3 months' jail for attempting to bribe 4 police officers

AsiaOne Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015

SINGAPORE - A female Chinese national, Yang Ming Juan, has been sentenced to 3 months' imprisonment for attempting to bribe police officers with $2,349, said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) in a statement on Wednesday.

CPIB said that the woman had offered the money to four police officers Tay Jia Ying Jasmine, Chia Chye Kiat, Phua Tien Soon Francis and Woon Jian Hong, to induce them into releasing her from police custody.

Yang was charged with two counts of attempting to bribe police officers on Dec 5 last year and pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of "corruptly offering gratification to a police officer". The court also took her other offence into consideration for the sentencing.

CPIB added that it is an offence to bribe, or attempt to bribe, public officers in Singapore.

Anyone found guilty of a corruption offence will face a fine of up to $100,000, a jail term of up to five years, or both.

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[Vultan]

4 from China flew here to cheat elderly

Lim Yi Han The Straits Times Wednesday, Mar 11, 2015

FOUR Chinese nationals hatched a plan to cheat elderly victims in Singapore by selling electronic components they claimed were valuable.

On Jan 11, Li Qiangqing, Wei Shuihong, Zhu Zhaozong and Wei Wendong flew to Singapore from Shenzhen with about 32 packets of electronics parts as props.

The four men, aged between 48 and 53, cheated a 62-yearold housewife of $10,000.

They wanted to use the money to pay off debts.

Li, Zhu and Wei Shuihong carried out their fraudulent act on Jan 13.

Wei, 50, pretended to ask the victim for directions when she was alone at a market in Tampines. While they were talking, he "dropped" one of the electronic parts.

Zhu, 48, then showed up and asked Wei what the product was. Wei claimed it was a valuable computer part which he was selling for $50 apiece.

Li, 53, then joined in and told Zhu he was willing to buy the parts at $80 each.

Zhu then told the victim he wanted to buy 800 of the items from Wei, and sell them to Li for a profit. But he said he did not have enough money and asked the victim if she wanted to chip in.

The victim agreed to buy $10,000 worth of parts and went home to get the cash.

After receiving the $10,000, from her, Zhu told her to wait at a void deck for Li. He then left with Wei, claiming they needed to collect the parts.

When Li failed to show up, the victim realised she had been duped and called the police.

Wei Wendong, 49, who was not involved in the act, received $1,000. The men were caught on Jan 15. All four pleaded guilty last month.

Yesterday, the prosecution called for a jail term of 12 months for Li, Zhu and Wei Shuihong who had major roles in the act, and six months for Wei Wendong.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Loh Hui-Min said it was necessary to deter foreigners who plan to come here to commit crime.

She noted that there was premeditation, as they had brought the items from China.

The men are expected to be sentenced on March 17.

[email protected]

 

[Vultan]

Malaysian teen jailed three weeks for underage sex

Published on Mar 11, 2015 6:34 PM
By Lim Yi Han

SINGAPORE - A Malaysian teen was sentenced to three weeks in jail for sex with a minor on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old, who worked in Singapore, and the 15-year-old victim cannot be named because of a gag order.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of having sex with a person under 16, and eight other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Sex with a girl under 16 is a crime even if she gives her consent.

The court heard that the two got to know each other at a food centre in October last year. The victim, then in secondary three, was working part-time as a stall assistant, while the Malaysian teen worked as a cleaner.

In November, they got into a relationship. It was the victim's first. A few days later, the teen asked the victim to have sex with him. She initially refused but later agreed to it, and they had sex in his rented flat. They had sex at the flat on several occasions, and once at a staircase landing.

In January, the teen sent a text message to the victim while she was in school and told her he wanted to call off the relationship.

The victim was visibly upset and was referred by the school discipline master to a school counsellor. She later told the counsellor about the sexual relationship.

A few days, later, the victim went to a hospital for a medical examination with her father and the school counsellor, and was told to lodge a police report. The victim was also tested positive for chlamydia, a sexually transmitted infection.

The accused could have been jailed up to 10 years and fined for having sex with a person under 16 years old.

 

[Vultan]

Construction worker jailed three weeks for taking upskirt videos at MRT station

Published on Mar 11, 2015 8:01 PM
By Lim Yi Han

SINGAPORE -A construction worker was jailed for three weeks on Wednesday for taking an upskirt video of a woman on an MRT station escalator.

Cheong Chap Mun, a 38-year-old Malaysian working in Singapore, turned on his mobile phone's video recorder and placed it facing upwards in a bag which he put between the woman's legs.

The incident, on June 1, 2012, came to light after he was caught 11 days later.

Cheong had been travelling on a bus when a fellow passenger spotted him taking a photograph of her upper body with his mobile phone.

She confronted him and approached the bus driver for help. The driver then alerted the bus service staff who called the police.

They seized Cheong's mobile and found out he had taken upskirt videos.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Lin Yinbing said there was a risk that the videos could have been circulated, causing his victim further humiliation.

She noted that he had also been convicted and fined for possession of an obscene film in 2007.

Three other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Cheong, who was not represented, asked for a lighter sentence, saying that he had realised his mistake and will mend his ways.

He added that he is getting married in May and has to take care of his elderly mother.

District Judge Crystal Ong said she agreed with the prosecution, adding that he did not commit the offence in the spur of the moment as he had plans to conceal his phone to avoid detection.

For insulting the modesty of a woman, he could have been jailed up to a year and fined.

 

[Vultan]

45 foreign nationals arrested for overstaying

Published on Mar 13, 2015 3:24 PM

Foreign nationals arrested during one of the operations. -- PHOTO: IMMIGRATION AND CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY

By Miranda Yeo

SINGAPORE - A total of 45 foreign nationals were arrested over the past three days for overstaying in Singapore, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a media release on Friday.

The majority of those arrested were from Bangladesh, China and Nepal. There were 28 men and 17 women aged between 20 and 50 years old.

ICA officers also arrested a 31-year-old Bangladeshi national who sublet his room to other immigration offenders.

Investigations are ongoing.

Under the Immigration Act, the penalties for overstaying or illegal entry are jail of up to six months plus a minimum of three strokes of the cane, while the penalties for illegal departure is a fine of up to $2,000, jail of up to six months, or both.

If homeowners are found guilty of negligently harbouring overstayers and/or illegal immigrants, they may be punished with a fine not exceeding $6,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both.

[email protected]

 

[Vultan]

Trio get 10 months for cheating, another jailed four months for receiving stolen money

Published on Mar 17, 2015 4:25 PM
By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - Three Chinese nationals who conned a woman of $10,000 by teaming up to sell her computer parts were jailed 10 months each on Tuesday.

Another accomplice, who received stolen money, was jailed for four months.

The four had flown to Singapore from China with numerous packets of electronic components with the intention of deceiving elderly victims into buying them by claiming they were valuable.

Li Qiangqing, 53, Zhu Zhaozong, 48, and Wei Shuihong, 50, who carried out the fraudulent act to cheat Madam Lye Ah Mui, 62, were given 10 months each while Wei Wendong, 49, was given the lower sentence for receiving $1,000, having reason to believe the money represented his accomplices' benefits from criminal conduct.

The court heard that Wei Shuihong pretended to ask the victim for directions when she was alone at a market in Tampines on Jan 13 this year. While they were talking, he "dropped" one of the electronic parts.

Zhu then showed up and asked Shuihong what the product was. Shuihong claimed it was a valuable computer part which he was selling for $50 apiece.

Li then joined in and told Zhu he was willing to buy the parts at $80 each.

Zhu then told the victim he wanted to buy 800 of the items from Shuihong, and sell them to Li for a profit. But he said he did not have enough money and asked the victim if she wanted to chip in.

The victim agreed to buy $10,000 worth of parts and went home to get the cash.

After receiving the $10,000, from her, Zhu told her to wait at a void deck for Li. He then left with Shuihong, claiming they needed to collect the parts.

When Li failed to show up, the victim realised she had been duped and called the police.

Two days later, the trio were arrested at Fragrance Hotel Rose in Balestier Road, and nearly $12,000 seized from Zhu and Li.

District Judge Victor Yeo agreed with the prosecution that a clear message must be sent to deter like-minded offenders from coming to Singapore to commit crimes especially towards vulnerable victims. He noted that this was a group offence and a high level of planning was involved.

The maximum penalty for cheating is 10 years' jail and a fine. For receiving stolen property, the maximum is five years and a fine.

 

[Vultan]

Study mama jailed 12 months for running vice ring

Elizabeth Law The New Paper Wednesday, Mar 18, 2015

The women worked as bar hostesses around Joo Chiat but also performed sexual services for additional money.

She was in Singapore on a long-term visit pass to accompany her daughter who was a student here.

But while here, Vietnamese national Nguyen Thi Pho Chau, 37, ran a vice operation in the Joo Chiat area along with her sister, brother-in-law and mother.

Nguyen yesterday pleaded guilty to nine charges; three each of living in part on prostitution earnings, receiving women for the purpose of prostitution and harbouring women for the purpose of prostitution.

Another 29 similar charges were taken into consideration during sentencing. She was yesterday sentenced to 12 months' jail for her role in the operations.

According to court documents, Nguyen started running the prostitution ring some time in September 2013.

She would meet compatriots who were coming to prostitute themselves in Singapore at the airport.

Nguyen took these women to lodging houses in Tembeling Road and Joo Chiat Lane.

These women would pay Nguyen $1,000 in agent's fees, and daily rent of $18.

This was inclusive of meals, which were cooked by Nguyen's mother, Chau Thi My Linh.

BAR HOSTESSES

The women worked as bar hostesses around Joo Chiat but also performed sexual services for additional money.

The operation was brought to a halt when police raided the Joo Chiat Lane house last year on Sept 22.

There, they found six Vietnamese women working as prostitutes.

Police also arrested Nguyen's sister and brother-in-law, Nguyen Thi Phuong Chau, 42, and Nguyen Duy Binh, 27.

Both have been dealt with and were each sentenced to two months' jail.

Nguyen surrendered herself to Cantonment Police Complex four days later but her mother is still at large.

In mitigation, Nguyen's lawyer said she had been looking after her daughter, now a Secondary 1 student at a school in the northern part of Singapore.

He asked that she not be jailed because it would affect her daughter's upbringing.

He added that all the women involved in the flesh trade were above 18.

During sentencing, Community Court Judge Matthew Joseph noted that a strong deterrent was needed so others in Singapore on long-term visit passes would not be incentivised to commit unlawful offences for profit.

 

[Vultan]

Drunken video editor jailed one month for attacking cop

Published on Mar 19, 2015 12:07 PM
By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - A Portuguese man who punched and kicked a police officer as he tried to find out where he lived was jailed for a month on Thursday.

Video editor Carlos Eduardo Da-Cruz Ferreira, 34, was drunk and fell asleep in the back of a taxi when the cabby asked police at a road block to enquire where he lived.

After it pulled to the side of Bukit Batok East Avenue 3 last June 21, two cops tried to wake Da-Cruz Ferreira, who reeked of alcohol.

They called out to him but there was no response. Sergeant Mushawwir Adrus, 23, tapped Da-Cruz Ferreira on the shoulder, causing him to wake up briefly. The cops identified themselves and asked where he lived.

Da-Cruz Ferreira responded by punching the policeman in the right eye. Sgt Mushawwir then held his hands and asked where he lived - but was kicked in his lower abdomen. Necessary force was used to remove him from the taxi.

Staff Sgt Mushawwir, whose contact lens was dislodged, needed treatment at Alexandra Hospital.

Urging the court to jail Da-Cruz Ferreira, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sruthi Boppana said police officers are on the front line and must know they have the full protection of the law.

"The court must send a consistent signal that violence towards police officers cannot be condoned," she told District Judge Ng Peng Hong.

Lawyer Shashi Nathan said his client, whose father is a High Court judge in Portugal, had then just gone through a severe and traumatic break-up with his then girlfriend.

He said the one-off incident was triggered by his client's intoxicated state. He said Da-Cruz Ferreira has voluntarily undergone therapy for his alcohol dependence and was found to be suffering from depressive and anxiety disorders.

Da-Cruz Ferreira, who pleaded guilty, was allowed to defer sentence until April 2 to resolve his personal matters. Another charge of abusing the cop was taken into consideration.

For causing hurt to deter a public servant in carrying out his work, he could have been jailed for up to seven years, fined, caned or received any combined sentence.

 

[Vultan]

Former marketing manager fined $3,000 for punching jazz singer on nose

Published on Mar 25, 2015 1:02 PM

Australian Aaron Peter Jeremicjczyk, a 39-year-old Singapore permanent resident, was fined $3,000. -- ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN

By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - A former marketing manager who punched jazz singer Dawn Ho in the face was fined $3,000 on Wednesday.

Australian Aaron Peter Jeremicjczyk, a 39-year-old Singapore permanent resident, had admitted causing hurt to her at the Beach Station on Sentosa at about 9.20pm on March 9 last year.

The court heard that 35-year-old Ms Ho had seen Jeremicjczyk, his girlfriend and a friend arguing with a limousine driver about the price of a fare and told him to stop shouting.

She and a friend had tried to calm him down but as they were about to drive off, Jeremicjczyk approached the open passenger door window of their vehicle and punched Ms Ho on the nose, causing redness and swelling.

 

[Vultan]

Man who took upskirt videos jailed 8 weeks

Elena Chong The Straits Times Thursday, Mar 26, 2015

Maha Vignesh Velippan, former bank executive, who took nearly 100 upskirt videos of women over 2½ years was jailed for eight weeks on March 24, 2015.

A former bank executive who took nearly 100 upskirt videos of women over 21/2 years was jailed for eight weeks yesterday.

Maha Vignesh Velippan (above), 32, who was with the State Bank of India then, admitted to 19 charges of insulting modesty and one of having 596 obscene films last August. Another 75 charges were considered during sentencing.

The court heard that during lunchtime on June 7, 2011, a 27-year-old business relationship manager was on an escalator in the Standard Chartered Bank building in Battery Road when she felt something brush against her legs.

She turned around and saw Maha Vignesh standing very close to her on the next step. He was holding a paper bag containing his phone, with its camera lens pointing at her.

She asked for his phone and found an upskirt video of herself, then called the police.

Most of the videos were taken near Raffles Place and the women's identities were unknown. The offences took place between 2008 and 2011.

His lawyer, Mr Rajan Supramaniam, said his client, who was working as a sales manager at NTUC Income last year and has since left, suffered from voyeurism and sex addiction and was making good progress in his psychiatric treatment.

"At the time of the offences, he was facing personal problems with his ex-girlfriend and was in a troubled state of mind," he said.

Maha Vignesh could have been jailed for up to one year and/or fined for each charge of insulting modesty.

[email protected]

 

[Vultan]

Indian national who helped dump body convicted

Elena Chong The Straits Times Saturday, Mar 28, 2015

Police officers flanking Indian national Gursharan Singh, who has been charged with the murder of Madam Jasvinder Kaur on 20 December 2013, as he retraces his steps along the route which he and another man allegedly took to dump Madam Kaur’s body in the Whampoa River. Singh is believed to be the friend of the Madam Kaur's husband. The police are now looking for the husband, who left the country through Woodlands checkpoint half an hour before his wife’s body was found on 12 December 2013.

AN INDIAN national who helped dispose of a beautician's body in the Whampoa River was convicted yesterday of causing evidence to disappear and failing to report the murder to police.

Gursharan Singh, 27, admitted to screening the alleged killer, Harvinder Singh, from legal punishment.

He also pleaded guilty to intentionally failing to inform the police when he knew his compatriot had allegedly killed his wife, Madam Jasvinder Kaur, between Dec 10 and 11, 2013.

The 33-year-old's mutilated body - without her head and hands - was found wrapped in trash bags and floating in a waterway between McNair Road and St George's Road on Dec 12 that year.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Prakash Otharam said Harvinder, who is on the Interpol wanted list, went to look for Gursharan at the Central Sikh Temple in Towner Road.

He asked for help to move some belongings from his unit to another in Whampoa on Dec 11 that year.

At about 11.30pm, Harvinder turned up at the temple with a new black canvas bag. He then led Gursharan to a shophouse in Balestier Road, where he occupied a room on the second floor.

Harvinder, 35, asked Gursharan to help him pack clothing into the bag, but Gursharan told him to do it himself. He then went to the first floor to wait.

Half an hour later, Harvinder called him to come up, and Gursharan saw the bag placed outside the room.

Harvinder pulled the bag, which had wheels at the base. As it was being dragged down a flight of steps, Gursharan heard a loud "thud" each time it landed.

The court heard that one of the wheels on the bag broke when the pair were walking up an overhead bridge, causing the bag to tilt to one side.

When Gursharan went to help, he felt that the bag was really heavy and asked Harvinder what was inside.

Harvinder told him that he had had a fight with his wife that morning. He punched her on the neck and she fell unconscious on the bed. He then left the room.

When he returned later that day, he found her still unconscious. He then put her inside the bag and wanted to get rid of it.

The court heard that Harvinder threw the bag into the canal near Block 110 McNair Road and left for Malaysia. Subsequently, he called Gursharan and said he was planning to leave Malaysia.

The case has been adjourned to next Wednesday.

 

[Vultan]

Norwegian jailed 10 weeks for choking taxi driver

Published on Apr 1, 2015 12:28 PM

Arne Corneliussen, 50, had admitted to causing hurt to Mr Chan Chuan Heng at the intersection of Circular Road and North Canal Road at about 1am on Sept 22 last year. - ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN

By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - A Norwegian national was sentenced to 10 weeks' jail on Wednesday for choking a taxi driver.

Arne Corneliussen, 50, had admitted to causing hurt to Mr Chan Chuan Heng at the intersection of Circular Road and North Canal Road at about 1am on Sept 22 last year.

The court heard that Corneliussen, a Singapore permanent resident, had just finished a night of drinking at Clarke Quay when he spotted the 46-year-old's taxi.

Just as Corneliussen was about to board the cab, Mr Chan told him he needed to go to the toilet and would not be able to take any passengers.

 

[Vultan]

Construction worker jailed six months for molesting 12-year-old boy

Published on Apr 1, 2015 5:38 PM
By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - A construction worker who molested a 12-year-old boy in a public toilet was jailed for six months on Wednesday.

Indian national Ravikumar Sathish, 20, admitted using criminal force to outrage the youngster's modesty at a male toilet in Tampines Mall on March 2.

A court heard that the boy had been having dinner with his mother when he went to use the loo.

As he walked out, Sathish bumped into him and grabbed his private parts.

 

[Vultan]

Man jailed three weeks for molesting woman, 64

Published on Apr 1, 2015 1:07 PM
By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - A man who rubbed his groin area on a woman's buttocks was jailed for three weeks on Wednesday.

Indian national Jagudam Rameshwar, 45, a supervisor, pleaded guilty to outraging the modesty of the 64-year-old woman at a shop in Bugis on June 8 last year.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Rajiv Rai said the victim was at her sister's shop packing some goods when Jagudam came from behind and molested her. The incident was witnessed by the victim's sister.

Investigations showed that Jagudam, who had drunk a can of beer, had gone to the area at around noon. He saw the victim and suddenly had the urge to touch her.

 

[Vultan]

Landlord jailed for filming tenant in shower

Published on Apr 6, 2015 12:06 PM
By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - An unemployed man was jailed for four weeks on Monday for taking a video of his tenant in the shower.

Malaysian Goh Hoo Siang, 34, who is a Singapore permanent resident, admitted to insulting the modesty of the 25-year-old woman at his home in Woodlands on July 15 last year.

The victim, a Malaysian, and her sister, were tenants at the time.

The court heard that between July 9 and 10 last year, Goh bought a thumbdrive with an attached pinhole camera and video recording capabilities from Sim Lim Square.

On July 15 he was at home with his daughter when he decided to put the recording device under the basin in the kitchen toilet, to film the victim and her sister. He turned on the recording device and left the toilet.

The victim returned home that evening and took a shower.

Towards the end of the shower, the recording device fell off. She picked it up and left the toilet.

When Goh went in to get the device, it was gone.

The victim saw part of the video on her laptop. She and her sister quickly left the flat to make a police report.

In his mitigation, Goh pleaded for a chance to turn over a new leaf. He tendered a medical memo from Khoo Teck Puat Hospital stating that he suffers from voyeurism - sexual interest in spying on people engaged in intimate behaviours.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Lee Zu Zhao pointed out that a recent High Court judgment stated that voyeurism does not deprive a person of self-control in the way that impulse control disorder does.

He cited aggravating factors such as high degree of planning and pre-meditation in seeking a jail sentence.

District Judge Crystal Ong agreed that a jail sentence was warranted. Goh had betrayed the trust of his tenant and managed to capture the victim nude while she was showering.

Calling it a grave intrusion of privacy and a serious insult of modesty, she said that it was lucky that more footage had not been captured.

Goh could have been jailed for up to one year and/or fined.

 

[Vultan]

Nurse who claimed Facebook account was hacked charged

AsiaOne Tuesday, Apr 07, 2015

Photo illustration of a man looking at a computer screen.

SINGAPORE - A Filipino who previously worked as a nurse at Tan Tock Seng Hospital has been charged for sedition and providing false information to the police.

Ello Ed Mundsel Bello, 28, had allegedly posted a seditious comment on Facebook which said that Singaporeans are "loosers (losers) in their own country". The post also said that Singaporeans would be evicted out of their own country. "I will be praying that disators (disasters) strike Singapore and more Singaporeans will die than (sic) I will celebrate," it said.

The two charges of sedition against him state that the statement posted had a tendency to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between Filipinos and Singaporeans.

He is also accused of lying to the police at Chong Pang Neighbourhood Police Post on January 3. He had told the officer that he did not post the comments online.

Ello allegedly lied to the police again on January 4 and 5, this time at Ang Mo Kio Police Division Headquarters. He told the officer then that he did not post the comments and that his Facebook account had been accessed by someone else without his permission.

He faces three charges of providing false information to a public servant.

According to the Straits Times, bail of $10,000 was offered and his passport has been impounded.

A pre-trial conference has been set for April 21.

If convicted of sedition, Ello faces a fine of up to $5,000, or three years in jail, or both for each charge. If convicted of giving false information to the police, Ello may be jailed up to one year and/or fined up to $5,000 for each charge.

The post allegedly published by Ello had caused a stir when it was shared online earlier this year. Tan Tock Seng Hospital fired him in January, saying that his comments had distressed members of the public and hospital staff. A spokesperson said that the comments were "highly irresponsible and offensive to Singapore and religion".

 

[Vultan]

Construction firm boss fined, jailed for collecting kickbacks, assaulting MOM officer

AsiaOne Tuesday, Apr 07, 2015

SINGAPORE - The managing director of a construction firm has been fined $169,000 and sentenced to three weeks in jail for receiving kickbacks from employees and for assaulting an officer from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

From September 2012 to January 2013, 24 foreign workers hired by Sheng Jianzhong, 41, were each required to pay him $7,200 as a condition for employment.

The kickbacks received by the accused amounted to $85,380, the MOM said in a statement today.

The ministry raided Sheng's construction site off Jalan Legundi, near Sembawang Road, in February 2013 after a complaint filed by one of the workers.

"During the raid, when an MOM investigation officer tried to collect documentary evidence for investigations, Sheng grabbed the officer's left arm and thumb to prevent him from doing so. The officer suffered injuries as a result of the scuffle," the MOM said.

For using criminal force on a civil servant, the Singapore permanent resident was sentenced to three weeks in jail at the State Courts yesterday. He was also ordered to pay $169,000, or commit to three months in jail in default of the fine, for 13 charges of receiving kickbacks.

He had been hit with a total of 38 charges. The rest were taken into consideration during sentencing.

"We take a serious view of employers who collect kickbacks as it further increases the debt burden of foreign workers, and is detrimental to their well-being. We will continue to clamp down on such practices as in the case of Sheng Jianzhong. With respect to using criminal force on a civil servant, perpetrators can expect the force of the law to be applied," Mr Kevin Teoh, divisional director of the MOM's foreign manpower management division said.

Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, most monies collected from foreign workers will be deemed as employment kickbacks, unless the purposes for which they are collected can be properly accounted for.

Offenders found guilty of the offence can be jailed for up to two years, or fined a maximum of $30,000, or both.

In March this year, another person was convicted on three charges of receiving kickbacks, the MOM said.

Geng Shuzhen, a 45-year-old Singaporean, was fined $15,000 in total. In default of the fine was a penalty of six weeks in prison. 18 other charges were taken into consideration during the sentencing.

In 2014, 15 employers were convicted of receiving kickbacks, down from 17 in 2013.

[email protected]

 

[Vultan]

Malaysian motorcyclist arrested for avoiding immigration clearance at Woodlands Checkpoint

AsiaOne Wednesday, Apr 08, 2015

SINGAPORE - A male Malaysian motorcyclist has been arrested and charged for failing to produce his passport and not stopping for proper immigration clearance at Woodlands Checkpoint.

His foiled attempt to sneak past customs occurred on April 7 at 3.40am, said the Immigrations & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a statement on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old motorcyclist had tailgated another motorcycle in front of him and failed to stop for immigration clearance. He also did not have any travel document.

An ICA officer activated the alarm immediately and locked down the checkpoint while other ICA officers arrested the motorcyclist on the spot.

Regular checkpoint operations resumed at 3.50am on the same day.

The motorcyclist was charged in court today for failure to present a passport for clearance and failure to stop his vehicle upon point of entry.

Anyone who attempts to evade immigration clearance will be dealt with firmly according to the law.

If convicted under Section 5A(1)(b), the offender may face a maximum fine of $1,000 or an imprisonment term not exceeding six months or both.

If convicted under Section 18B(1), the offender may be fined up to $2,000 or face a jail term of up to six months or both.

[email protected]

 

[Vultan]

Ex-Malaysian football player jailed 2 years for match-fixing

Published on Apr 9, 2015 5:32 PM

Former part-time football referee Shokri Nor and businessman S. Thanasegar were originally accused of conspiring with each other to receive a RM15,000 (S$6,100) bribe to fix a football match between Singapore’s LionsXII and Sarawak on May 22, 2012. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - A former Malaysian national footballer was jailed for two years on Thursday for match-fixing.

Thanasegar S. Sinnaiah, 40, had abetted project manager Selvarajan Letchuman to corruptly give RM15,000 to Malaysian part-time referee Shokri Nor to ensure that LionsXII beat Sarawak FA in the Malaysian Super League by at least three goals in May 2012.

The match ended in a 3-0 win for LionsXII. All three were arrested before the match kicked off.

Thanasegar had also abetted Selvarajan and Shokri in a conspiracy to cheat Singapore Pools by dishonestly concealing the match-fixing arrangements.

This was to let Selvarajan win $10,500 on a $5,000 bet placed at a Singapore Pools outlet near Rangoon Road, and $5,000 on a $500 bet he placed in Rowell Road that day.

The case of Selvarajan, 52, is pending while Shokri, 50, is still on the run after jumping bail in July 2012.

One of the aggravating factors highlighted by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Nicholas Khoo is that Thanasegar's actions had reinforced the unfortunate global perception of Singapore as a haven for match-fixing. The DPP also argued that cheating a public institution such as Singapore Pools warrants a deterrent sentence.

Thanasegar had absconded while on court bail in 2012 and was re-arrested last August. The fact that he had absconded was also aggravating, added the DPP.

Thanasegar's lawyer Rakesh Vasu said his client will be a prosecution witness in Selvarajan's trial and Shokri's case should the latter be re-arrested.

He said this was the first time his client was involved in match-fixing and submitted that Thanasegar was less culpable than Eric Ding, who was convicted of giving sex bribes to Lebanese officials in a football match.

"He acknowledges that his single act of misdeed has contributed to tarnish Singapore's good name... He sincerely apologises not only to the fans, but also to everyone concerned in the sport of football, for his irresponsible, despicable actions,'' he said.

Thanasegar could have been fined up to $100,000 and/or jailed for up to five years for corruption; and up to 10 years and fined for each charge of cheating.