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[GeneralHavoc]

Taxi passenger who hit cab and released handbrake fined $6k

Filipino Achilles Tomanpos Estremos was fined $6,000 for causing mischief along Neil Road.

Published Jan 5, 2016, 6:17 pm SGT
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent

SINGAPORE - An interior designer who refused to get out of a taxi after he was unable to pay the fare kicked the passenger door and hit its rear windshield and side window with an umbrella.

Filipino Achilles Tomanpos Estremos, 47, who had been drinking, also released the handbrake twice, causing the taxi to bump into another cab behind.

On Tuesday (Jan 5), he was fined $6,000 for causing mischief along Neil Road on May 1, 2015.

He has compensated Comfort Transportation to the tune of $2,280.

The Singapore permanent resident, who pleaded guilty, could have been jailed for up to two years and fined for causing loss or damage to the amount of $500 or upwards.

The court heard that he had downed two bottles of wine at a company lunch to celebrate his boss's birthday before having more drinks at a bar on Neil Road.

Taxi driver Sim Khng Huat, 63, picked him up along South Bridge Road. Estremos was smelling strongly of alcohol.

When Mr Sim arrived at Neil Road, Estremos tried to give him a piece of paper to pay the $7 taxi fare but the driver rejected this. Estremos then tried to pay with his Nets card but was unable to enter the correct PIN code.

Mr Sim asked him to alight so he could pick up other passengers.

Estremos refused, insisting that he had money to pay the fare. He lay down and kicked the side door several times, and then used an umbrella to hit the rear windshield and side window. Estremos also challenged the driver to call the police.

As Mr Sim tried to do so, Estremos grabbed his shoulder. The cabby got out of the car and locked it, before another cabby stopped to help.

Estremos then climbed over to the driver seat and released the handbrake. The taxi rolled backwards and dented the other taxi, which was parked behind.

When the other driver tried to reverse his taxi, Estremos released the handbrake again causing the cab to roll back and dent the taxi a second time.

When police arrived, Estremos apologised to Mr Sim. His friend came and paid the taxi fare.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

2 men arrested for breaking into Pasir Panjang shop and stealing $500,000

Luxury goods, believed to have been purchased by the suspects. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

Published 10 hours ago
Ng Huiwen
Shea Driscoll

SINGAPORE - Climbing in through a rooftop ventilator, two Vietnamese men sneaked into a fruit wholesale shop in the wee hours of Tuesday morning and made off with about half a million in cash.

In less than a day, they splashed some of the stolen cash on several luxury goods, including a pair of Gucci shoes and a Louis Vuitton belt.

But their shopping spree ended abruptly that night, after police officers sprung onto the pair, aged 23 and 35, at a public area in Marina Bay Sands (MBS).

At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon (Jan 6), police said that they arrested the suspects at about 10.30pm, about 16 hours after the owners discovered the break-in.

About $433,000 in cash and some luxury goods were recovered from a hotel room at MBS, which the suspects were staying in since Saturday (Jan 2).

To establish their identities, police officers from the Clementi Division acted upon a lead from a taxi driver, who recalled picking up the pair along West Coast Highway on Tuesday morning.

Earlier that day at Loh Ee Seng Trading, they had forced open the ventilator and cut open the safe containing the cash using a set of tools, according to preliminary investigations by the police.

The sum of $500,000 is the largest amount of cash involved in a housebreaking case over the past two years, said Clementi Division Commander Gerald Lim.

When owner Loh Yong Soon, 46, arrived at his Pasir Panjang wholesale centre shop at about 7am on Tuesday, he was crestfallen to discover that the cash had been stolen.

"It's all gone. We've to start over again," he said in a phone call to his brother, Mr Thomas Loh Yong Kiat, 36, soon after alerting the police.

The brothers had consolidated the large amount of cash in the safe since mid December to prepare for the Chinese New Year peak season.

"Most of the money was prepared for our suppliers who requested for cash payments. The rest were bonuses for our employees," said the younger Mr Loh.

And while they had installed a CCTV camera in the shop, they later found out that it had been faulty since a power trip last month.

The brothers took over their father's business some 13 years ago.

"We were all at a lost the entire day. It was a very painful lesson for us," he added.

The suspects will be charged on Thursday (Jan 7) for housebreaking and theft by night. If convicted, they may face a jail term of up to 14 years.

[email protected]

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Mastermind of work permit scam gets 16 months' jail

Thursday, Jan 7, 2016

SINGAPORE - A 36-year-old Filipino woman has been sentenced to 16 months' jail for fraudulently obtaining work permits for foreigners, in what the Ministry of Manpower has described as one of the largest scams of this nature investigated thus far.

The foreigners had no intention to work as foreign domestic workers, but only wanted to stay in Singapore.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Thursday, Celeste Provido Apostol was found to have made false declarations in work pass applications for close to 30 foreigners.

She conspired with "recruiters" who sourced for foreigners who were in need of work permits to validate their stay in Singapore, and locals who were willing to provide their particulars as "employers".

The accused then matched the foreigners with these bogus "employers".

In total, the accused and the recruiters found 27 "foreign domestic workers" and 21 "employers".

The accused collected fees between $3,500 and $4,000 from each foreign worker for the work permit.

Some of them worked as performing artistes, freelance cleaners, manicurists, and in other odd jobs. None of them worked as domestic workers.

Apostol was charged in court on Jan 20 last year on 33 charges - 32 counts of false declaration offences and one count for carrying out the activities of an employment agency without obtaining a licence.

She pleaded guilty in court on Oct 15, 2015, to 16 charges, with the remaining 17 charges taken into consideration for the purpose of sentencing.

Mr Kevin Teoh, divisional director of MOM's Foreign Manpower Management Division said: "This is a serious case of deceit, and a blatant disregard for the work pass framework. We will not tolerate fraud, and will take firm action against those who wilfully deceive the Ministry."

The foreign workers involved in the scam have been prosecuted and convicted in court, said the MOM. They will be sent home and permanently barred from working in Singapore.

Culpable "employers" will be barred from hiring any foreign worker. Since 2014, 78 individuals have been convicted of furnishing false information to MOM to obtain work passes. If convicted, offenders can be fined up to $20,000, with possible imprisonment of up to two years.

[email protected]

 

[khunking]

Insurance fraud: Malaysian jailed 44 months for orchestrating accidents in Singapore

12 Jan 2016 13:33

Tew Yee Jeng, 40, has also been disqualified from holding all classes of driving licences and driving any motor vehicle in Singapore for five years upon his release from prison.

SINGAPORE: Malaysian Tew Yee Jeng was on Tuesday (Jan 12) sentenced to 44 months in jail for recruiting people to deliberately cause traffic accidents and making false insurance claims for property damage and bodily injuries.

Tew, 40, has also been disqualified from holding all classes of driving licences and driving any motor vehicle in Singapore for five years upon his release from prison.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of abetment by conspiracy to cheat, one count of abetment by conspiracy to provide false information to a public servant, and one count of reckless driving.

The court found that Tew had made several trips to Singapore between 2012 and 2014 “for the sole purpose of committing these offences”, District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan said.

Tew recruited several drivers and instructed them to abruptly slam their brakes on purpose, causing the vehicles behind them to crash into the rear of the car. Using this modus operandi, Tew and his accomplices submitted almost S$105,000 in motor insurance claims. About S$18,300 was disbursed to them in 2012.

Judge Shaiffudin noted that Tew had “played the central role in the whole illegal enterprise … he was the conductor; he orchestrated each and every move of the other actors”.

The judge also called the case “more egregious than others”, as Tew “exposed innocent road users to great risk of personal injury and property damage” by deliberately involving them in collisions.

Two of Tew’s accomplices have been sentenced to eight months’ jail and disqualified from holding all classes of driving licences and driving any motor vehicle in Singapore for 30 months.

The cases of another two accomplices – Tay Chee Long and Helen Kiu – are still before the courts. Three other accomplices are still at large.

 

[khunking]

Miracle survivor of acid attack scores in O levels

Jan 12, 2016 6:00am

An acid attack damaged his throat when he was three months old, but Samuel Lim, now 16, finds academic success and gains self-confidence through music

Samuel Lim Hong Xiang was just three months old when, out of jealousy, a maid poured sulphuric acid down his throat. It happened in 1999, when Samuel was left in his grandmother's care. His grandmother had gone out, but his parents' Indonesian maid Latifah was in the flat with him. She was in the kitchen while Samuel slept in the living room. Just then, Ms Sumiyem, 17, another Indonesian maid working with the family, poured sulphuric acid into Samuel's mouth. She was jealous of Ms Latifah and had wanted to get her into trouble. Ms Sumiyem was jailed for eight years in 2000.

 

[khunking]

[h=1]BlueScope Steel stung by alleged corporate espionage

January 9, 2016[/h]
On the day long-serving BlueScope software development manager Chinnari Sridevi "Sri" Somanchi was to be made redundant in June 2015, she was suddenly busy on the phone.

For the next two hours her redundancy meeting was delayed while Ms Somanchi was locked on the lengthy call, as her manager circled her desk trying to get her attention.
What the company did not know at the time, and now alleges, was Ms Somanchi was spending those precious hours downloading a cache of company secrets so financially important to BlueScope it has launched emergency legal action in the Federal Court of Australia and Singapore, where she is now based, to stop the information falling into the hands of its competitors.

Ms Somanchi has been accused this week of downloading a trove of company documents – about 40 gigabytes – over a four-year period, including the codes she allegedly downloaded just before her redundancy meeting.
BlueScope is now trying desperately to retrieve "highly sensitive and commercially valuable" information allegedly stolen by Ms Somanchi, who it describes as a disgruntled former employee.
Ms Somanchi is also expected to be sacked this week from a BlueScope joint venture with a Japanese steel giant in Singapore, court documents show.


[h=2]Left company reeling[/h]
The case of alleged international espionage has left the company reeling and urgently seeking a judge's help to find and destroy trade secrets before they fall into the hands of competitors.
Losing its customised software to a rival firm would so badly damage BlueScope that it was not seeking penalties because "it is difficult to see how damages could adequately compensate BlueScope for the loss", a senior manager's affidavit said. The business unit at risk generates $US45 million in turnover each year.
A company spokesman confirmed it had an "IP-related matter before the courts in both Australia and Singapore" and had received an injunction this week.
It is alleged that in late September Ms Somanchi used the illegally obtained information to land a plum job as innovation manager at the 50-50 joint venture between Japanese steel giant Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation and BlueScope in Singapore, known as NS BlueScope.
At the centre of the trouble is BlueScope's Lysaght business, the seller of its famous Colorbond and Ranbuild products.
Ms Somanchi is also accused of accessing BlueScope's computer system during a visit to her former colleagues in late October, after she had already signed a contract with her new employer.
Ms Somanchi's lawyer in Singapore, Ng Lip Chih, said: "In view of the fact that the legal proceedings are ongoing, we are not in the position to provide any comments on the matter."


[h=2]Executives tipped off[/h]
Executives were tipped off to her alleged improper use of company information after Ms Somanchi returned to BlueScope's Minchinbury offices in Sydney in late October to tell colleagues she had landed a job at NS BlueScope in Singapore.
When BlueScope national product and technical solutions sales manager Scott Perks found out about the visit he called software developer Lubna Malik – a trusted employee who is not accused of any wrongdoing and a former subordinate to Ms Somanchi – into a meeting to discuss Ms Somanchi's visit and to reiterate the company's policies on information protection.
"Ms Malik said words to the effect: 'But Sri already has the source codes'," Mr Perks said in his affidavit filed with the Federal Court.
"I asked her how that was possible and Ms Malik replied in words to the effect: 'She took a full back-up of her computer'. At that point I ended the meeting," Mr Perks said.
Mr Perks' affidavit said Ms Malik said Ms Somanchi had used her computer for two hours despite Ms Malik feeling uncomfortable about her former boss' request.
"I can think of no legitimate reason why Ms Somanchi would have the Somachi USB with these BlueScope files in her possession other than to leverage off BlueScope intellectual property and confidential information for her own professional advantage," Mr Perks wrote in his affidavit.


[h=2]Know value of information[/h]The allegedly stolen data includes internal emails, 13 software packages, and source code for eight software programs – including Ranbuild's customised shed product.
Ms Somanchi was expected to be sacked by NS BlueScope this week and given a one-way ticket to Australia.
She had signed a two-year contract with the company starting October 15, 2015, on a base salary of $S170,000 ($A167,031), plus a maximum short-term bonus of 20 per cent of her base salary. Ms Somanchi's contract also provided a further $S57,000 in living and housing stipends.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Briton gets maximum fine of $5,000 for punching student in road rage case

Briton Alan Benjamin Maybury admitted to punching polytechnic student Lum Kwok Weng.ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN

Published Jan 14, 2016, 2:53 pm SGT
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent

SINGAPORE - A former consultant was slapped with the maximum fine of $5,000 on Thursday (Jan 14) for punching a teenage driver who had crashed into a taxi in which he and his wife were passengers.

Briton Alan Benjamin Maybury, 34, unemployed, admitted to punching polytechnic student Lum Kwok Weng, 19, on his face multiple times along South Buona Vista Road at about 1.30am on Nov 30, 2014.

A second charge of using abusive words by shouting expletives at the teenager was considered during sentencing.

Investigations showed that, at about 1.30am that day, Mr Lum was driving his mother's Toyota Camry car down South Buona Vista Road with a friend seated in front. They had wound down their windows to enjoy the night breeze.

At around the same time, Maybury and his Singaporean wife were passengers in a taxi in going in the opposite direction. They were on their way home after dinner at a friend's place and had consumed two glasses of champagne each.

As Mr Lum's car approached one of the sharper bends along the road, the car skidded into the lane meant for oncoming traffic. It crashed head-on into the taxi. Both Mr Lum and his friend were shocked and remained in the car.

Maybury got out of the taxi and shouted an expletive at Mr Lum before punching him on the face and hurling vulgarities. The punching stopped only when a motorcyclist stopped to intervene and called the police.

Mr Lum was found to have a mild swelling at the right side of his mouth which had a superficial 0.5cm cut.

Maybury's lawyer Suresh Damodara said in mitigation that his client acted the way he did "because of certain extreme and extenuating factors operating on his mind and psyche'' immediately after and as a result of the accident.

He said Maybury and his wife were injured due to Mr Lum's dangerous and reckless conduct. He said Maybury was shocked and extremely concerned for the physical well-being of his wife, who suffered spasms of extreme pain from the sudden jolt caused by the accident.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mansoor Amir asked for an appropriate fine to be imposed given the exceptional circumstances found in the present case.

He said the victim had lost control of his car as he navigated a bend along South Buona Vista Road, resulting in the head-on collision with the taxi.

"It was the accident that caused the accused's momentary outburst of violence," he said.

Maybury could have been jailed for up to two years and fined for voluntarily causing hurt.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Former SP Services technician jailed for taking bribes

Jasman Tiron was jailed for six weeks and ordered to pay a penalty of $200.ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

Published Jan 14, 2016, 2:39 pm SGT

Elena Chong
Court Correspondent

SINGAPORE - A former technician was jailed for six weeks and ordered to pay a penalty of $200 on Thursday (Jan 14) for receiving a bribe of $100 twice from a project manager of electrical works.

Jasman Tiron, 55, was working for SP Services, a subsidiary of Singapore Power, when he corruptly obtained $100 from Mr Li Chen, 33, in return for not creating difficulties for Great Resources M&E Contractor in his inspection of its electrical installations at Block 55, Havelock Road, on Sept 26, 2011. He pleaded guilty.

He also admitted a second similar charge involving installations at Block 780E, Woodlands Crescent, on Nov 29, 2013.

Great Resources' is in the business of electrical installation subcontract works from contractors for new HDB and private residential flats. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of China Construction (South Pacific) Development Co which had been engaged by the HDB as the building contractor for the two blocks in Havelock Road and Woodlands Crescent.

One of Jasman's duties was to inspect electrical installations at HDB flats under construction to ensure that their electrical systems were serviceable, and that it was safe to supply electricity to those flats.

A district court heard that some time on Sept 26, 2011, Jasman was inspecting Great Resources' electrical installations at a flat in Block 55, Havelock Road, when he refused to pass the inspection.

A licensed electrical worker, Mr Nyap Fat Ming, 61, who was there with Mr Li, advised Mr Li to give Jasman some money so that the latter would not create difficulties in his inspection.

Mr Li then took Jasman to a corner and gave him $100.

After taking the money, Jasman indicated on his handheld computer that Great Resources' electrical installations had passed his inspection.

On Nov 29, 2013, Jasman was inspecting Great Resources' installations at a flat being built at Block 780E, Woodlands Crescent, when he asked Mr Li for a bribe so that he would not create difficulties in his inspection. After receiving $100, Jasman passed the inspection.

Investigations showed that the electrical installations at the two flats were in fact satisfactory.

Three other ex-technicians have also been charged with graft. Their cases are pending.

The maximum punishment for corruption is a $100,000 fine and five years' jail.

 

[khunking]

Man fined for getting tourist to claim GST refund on S$44,500 watch

15 Jan 2016 14:02

Zheng Da Fei, a Singapore Permanent Resident, was fined S$4,500 for enlisting a tourist's help in claiming a GST refund of S$2,911.21 on the watch, says the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.

SINGAPORE: A man was fined S$4,500 for getting a tourist to claim a refund on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on a S$44,500 watch.
In May 2014, Zheng Da Fei, a Singapore Permanent Resident, approached a Chinese tourist at Changi Airport to help him claim a GST refund of S$2,911.21 for the luxury watch purchased by his wife, according to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS).
Zheng knew that as a PR, he could not claim the GST refund, IRAS said. He was subsequently caught by Singapore Customs officers at the airport.
A person who engages another to falsely claim a refund under the tourist refund scheme can be fined up to S$5,000 or, in default of payment, jailed for up to six months, IRAS said.
"The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore takes a serious view of any one who makes false declarations to seek GST refunds under the tourist refund scheme and abuse the scheme. IRAS works closely with Singapore Customs to uncover any attempt to defraud GST," it said.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Moneychanger robbed of $600k: Man jailed, caned

Published Jan 15, 2016, 5:00 am SGT

Malaysian was part of gang that snatched two bags of currencies; four others at large

Elena Chong
Court Correspondent

A Malaysian man who was part of a gang that brazenly robbed a moneychanger of over $600,000 at an Aljunied carpark in 2014 was sentenced to seven years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane yesterday.

Ravi Sandhira Sagaran, 28, admitted to robbing Mr Ali Yousouf Saiboo, 35, of two bags containing $624,036 in Singapore and foreign currencies at the open-air carpark of Block 110, Aljunied Crescent, at 12.53am on Nov 5, 2014.

Four Malaysians who committed the offence with him are at large.

A second charge of conspiring with several men, including Malaysian Tachana Moorthy Peromal, 29, and Singapore permanent resident Annadurai Raman, 43, to steal a car from a multi-storey carpark in Woodlands was considered during sentencing. Both will go on trial next month.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Soo Tet said Ravi agreed to participate in the robbery after being promised a share of the proceeds.

Ravi and his accomplices were roped in to rob Mr Saiboo, whose father-in-law's moneychanging business employs couriers to deliver bundles of foreign and Singapore currencies in cash to its customers in Kuala Lumpur, and vice versa.

Between September and October 2014, the accomplices entered Singapore and met Annadurai to discuss how to execute the robbery. DPP Tan said Ravi and the seven accomplices, including Malaysian Baskaran Balakrishnan, 33, who did not take part in the robbery but was in a getaway vehicle, made three separate attempts between Oct 27 and 29 to carry out the robbery.

On Nov 3, Ravi and his accomplices arrived in Singapore at night for another attempt. The next day, Tachana told Annadurai to prepare a car and a motorcycle in addition to the latter's motorcycle for use as getaway vehicles. Annadurai borrowed a car and a motorcycle.

That night, Ravi was with four accomplices in a stolen car to look out for Mr Saiboo's car near Geylang East Avenue 1. They put on balaclavas and face masks and stuck plasters on their fingertips.

Mr Saiboo's car was spotted at 12.45am heading towards his home in Geylang East Central.

But he changed his mind and decided to safekeep the $600,000 worth of currencies at his father-in-law's home in Aljunied Crescent.

Ravi and the four men tailed Mr Saiboo's car and blocked it with their car at a parking space. Mr Saiboo, whose two-year-old son was with him, activated the door locks in his car.

One of the men smashed his car window with a crowbar, while another dragged Mr Saiboo out and assaulted him.

Ravi was arrested on Nov 12, 2014. None of the money has been recovered.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Maid jailed for stealing jewellery worth $400k from employer

Mary Jane Importante Escalona, 48, had sold the jewellery to fund her gambling habit.

Published 9 hours ago
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent

SINGAPORE - A maid who stole almost $400,000 worth of jewellery from her employer then pawned it to fund her gambling habit was jailed for two and a half years on Monday.

Mary Jane Importante Escalona, 48, was working for Mr Jose Isidro Navato Camacho, 60, when she stole cash and jewellery at his Rochester Drive unit between 2014 and October last year. Both are Philippine nationals.

Escalona, who faced 37 charges, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of theft as a servant.

A district court heard that in the proceeded charges, the value of jewellery stolen ranged from US$3,000 (S$4,064) to US$100,000 (S$135,460).

She stole items including diamond rings, gold stone rings and earrings and pawned them the same day then gambled away the money at casinos in Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands.

The remaining 25 charges, including theft of cash and a Takashimaya shopping voucher totalling about $19,000, were taken into consideration.

Her employer reported the missing money to the police on Oct 18 last year and said he could only suspect his maid.

Escalona's sentence was backdated to Oct 20 last year.

She could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined on each charge.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

GST tourist refund claim: PR fined for fraud

Permanent resident Zheng Da Fei had tried to ask a Chinese tourist to help him claim a refund of nearly $3,000 on a luxury watch.

Photo: The Business Times

Pang Xue Qiang
Sunday, Jan 17, 2016

A 48-year-old Singapore permanent resident whose wife bought a $44,500 watch tried to claim a tax refund of $2,911.21 by asking a Chinese tourist for help.

Yesterday, Zheng Da Fei was found guilty of tax refund fraud under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act. He was fined $4,500 or, in default, jailed for three weeks.

In May 2014, Zheng and his wife bought a Cartier watch for $44,500 from the Cortina Watch outlet at Paragon mall in Orchard Road.

His wife paid $40,000 in cash, and $4,500 with her credit card. An Electronic Tourist Refund Scheme (eTRS) ticket - required for a GST refund - was issued to her.

The next day, Zheng approached a Chinese tourist at Terminal 1 of Changi Airport to help him claim the GST refund of $2,911.21.

Zheng accompanied the tourist to the refund booth with the watch and the relevant documentation to make the GST refund claim.

The tourist made a successful claim for the refund, by treating the watch as her own.

Customs officers detected the fraudulent tourist refund claim at the airport and arrested Zheng, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) said in a statement.

Zheng said he was aware that neither he nor his wife was entitled to the GST refund as Singapore PRs, and knew it was wrong to do so.

The eTRS is available only to tourists to claim GST refund on goods they have purchased and taken out of Singapore.

The tourist gets a receipt and an eTRS ticket when he buys goods from a GST-registered retailer participating in eTRS.

The tourist can then make a GST refund claim through the eTRS self-help kiosk at Changi Airport, or opt for a cash refund at the Central Refund Counter in the Departure Transit Lounge with the eTRS ticket or the credit card with which he purchased the goods.

In its statement, Iras said it takes a serious view of anyone who makes false declarations to seek GST refunds under the tourist refund scheme.

Iras added that it works closely with Singapore Customs to uncover any attempt to abuse the scheme.

It is an offence under the GST Act for a person to engage another person to seek or obtain an approval for a refund under the tourist refund scheme.

Offenders are liable to a fine of up to $5,000 or, in default, a maximum of six months in jail.

[email protected]

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Adoptive dad's death: Man now charged with murder

Su Caizhi was hauled to court on Jan 2, 2016, for seriously hurting his father Mr Pang Tee Lin, causing the latter's death.

Published Jan 19, 2016, 5:00 am SGT
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent

A man originally accused of causing grievous hurt to his elderly adoptive father has now been charged with his murder.

Su Caizhi, 28, was hauled to court on Jan 2 for seriously hurting Mr Pang Tee Lin, 72, at their Bedok Reservoir Road flat on New Year's Eve. Mr Pang died on Jan 9.

Last Friday, the prosecution decided to amend the charge against Su to murder, accusing him of causing Mr Pang's death between 7.25am on Dec 31 and 1.28pm on Jan 9.

Su registered a commodities trading business in 2014 under his adoptive name, Pang Kee Kiang.

According to Chinese evening paper Shin Min Daily News, Mr Pang and his wife adopted Su when he was five years old and staying at an orphanage in Hainan, China.

They named him Pang Kee Kiang. Until two years ago, the couple ran a food stall, which they later sold.

A lawyer appeared for Su at last week's hearing. Su is being remanded at Complex Medical Centre in Changi pending a psychiatric report on Feb 4.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Ex-finance manager jailed 46 months for stealing $470,000 from company

Singapore permanent resident Smita Salil Mhatre, 36, misappropriated about $470,000 from her employer over a period of six years.

Published Jan 19, 2016, 12:53 pm SGT
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent

SINGAPORE - A former finance manager, who misappropriated about $470,000 from her employer over a period of six years, was jailed for 46 months on Tuesday (Jan 19).

Smita Salil Mhatre, 36, a Singapore permanent resident, had pleaded guilty to three of six charges of criminal breach of trust as a servant, involving a total of $244,991, at Research Pacific Group between 2011 and May 2013. The remaining three charges were considered in sentencing.

A district court heard that she joined the company in 2006 as an accounts and administrative executive and worked her way up to become the finance manager.
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Besides managing the company's bank accounts and fund transfers, she also held onto the security dongles for the company's Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) bank accounts, which enabled her to view the accounts, authorise and approve payments from her computer.

Around 2012, the company decided to leave cheques that had been pre-signed in her care as the company's director needed to travel overseas for work.

She misappropriated various sums of money from the company's funds by transferring money from its HSBC accounts to her personal bank account with Post Office Savings Bank (POSB). She would do so using cheques and fund transfers.

The sums she misappropriated between 2011 and May 2013 were $97,802, $98,689 and $48,500.

Highlighting aggravating factors on Tuesday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Vincent Ong said she had made partial restitution of $277,254, leaving a significant part of the misapropriated sum unaccounted for.

She was given full control over the management of the company's finances and had abused the trust placed in her. Her use of multiple modes of misappropriation showed a high level of sophistication and there was pre-meditation , he said.

She could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined on each charge.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Tourist jailed for hitting policeman and fined $1,400 for two other offences

A Briton who swung his hands upwards and hit a policeman in his left eye area was jailed for five weeks on Thursday (Jan 21).

Published 11 hours ago
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent

SINGAPORE - A Briton who swung his hands upwards and hit a policeman in his left eye area was jailed for five weeks on Thursday (Jan 21).

Phillip Hall, 39, who was drunk then, was also fined a total of $1,400 for pushing a motorist on the chest and damaging the backrest of a wooden bench at the police lock-up holding bay last October.

Hall, who was on social visit pass, pleaded guilty to hurting Special Constabulary Corporal Muhammad Mahadhir Khamis in a police car; pushing Mr Choo Led Sin, 45, on the chest; and committing mischief. Three other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Deputy Public Prosecutor James Chew said Mr Choo was driving his car very slowly along Tanjong Pagar Road at about 10.20pm on Oct 20 due to other vehicles stopping ahead of him when Hall kicked the front of his car while crossing the road.

Hall had been drinking with some friends nearby.

Mr Choo came out of the car and shouted at Hall, who approached him aggressively, and pushed him once on the chest.

Hall continued to behave aggressively towards Mr Choo until other passers-by intervened and stopped him. The police were called.

He was arrested and his wrists were handcuffed in front of him.

While being driven to Central Police Division in a car, he asked that his handcuffs be removed but this was rejected.

He became aggressive and struggled vigorously. He then swung his hands upwards towards SC Cpl Mahadhir's face, hitting him near his left eye.

At the police station, Hall was taken to the lock-up holding bay. While seated on a wooden bench with his right hand handcuffed to a metal rail, Hall became agitated and started shouting. He then used his left elbow and smashed it against the wooden backrest several times until there was a hole. The damage amounted to $96.

He could have been jailed for up to seven years for hurting a public servant in the discharge of his duties. The maximum punishment for using criminal force other than on grave and sudden provocation is three months' jail and a $1,500 fine; and for mischief, one year's jail and a fine.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Man charged with theft, stolen items include $900,000 of casino chips

Jackson Yeoh was charged on Thursday (Jan 21) with stealing several items from the Marina Bay Sands casino, including $900,000 worth of casino chips. ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

Published 11 hours ago
Seow Bei Yi

SINGAPORE - A 23-year-old Malaysian man was charged on Thursday (Jan 21) with stealing several items from the Marina Bay Sands casino, including $900,000 worth of casino chips.

Mr Jackson Yeoh allegedly took items worth around $911,500 in total from a baccarat table in the casino at around 8.42pm on Sept 2 last year.

In addition to the chips, he also swiped a black Zegna clutch bag, a BMW car key, credit cards, a mobile phone and some $10,000 in cash.

Yeoh was remanded for a week in the Central Police Division.

He will appear in court again on Jan 28 and if custody is no longer needed, will be offered bail.

If convicted of theft, he could be jailed for up to three years with a fine.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Woman jailed a week for slapping maid and grabbing her neck

Vidya Jayasankarr (left) and her husband.ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

Published 10 hours ago
Seow Bei Yi

SINGAPORE - Domestic maid Miezel Cagas Limbaga, 31, cooked, cared for her employers' children and had no days off. But, when they were unhappy with her, they would hit her, a court heard.

On Thursday (Jan 21) the wife of her employer, 32-year-old Vidya Jayasankarr, a Singaporean permanent resident, was sentenced to a week in jail for slapping Ms Limbaga and grabbing her neck in late January last year (2015).

The culprit and her husband, Janardana Jayasankarr, 52, had been charged with hurting the Filipino maid, who had been working for them since October 2014. Both pleaded guilty earlier.

She committed one count of voluntarily causing hurt while her husband admitted to two counts.Two other similar charges will be considered when he is sentenced at a later date.

Court documents said that, on Jan 20 last year, the man grabbed Ms Limbaga's T-shirt and dragged her to the master bedroom at night. He was unhappy with her for opening the fridge and microwave earlier that day, and accused her of stealing food.

In the bedroom, the couple took turns to hit and scold their maid for all her previous wrongdoings. The man slapped the maid on her face, punched her on her stomach and chest, and his wife grabbed the helper's neck.

Ms Limbaga fell to the floor from pain and could not stand up when asked to do so. The man then stamped on her back. After scolding her for some time, the couple allowed her to return to her room.

The man admitted to causing hurt to her on three other occasions in late November 2014 and in January 2015.

These beatings came to light when another Filipina saw bruises on Ms Limbaga's face, chest area and arms and made a police report on Jan 22.

Police officers went to the Jayasankarrs' home in Ang Mo Kio and Ms Limbaga was sent to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital on the same day.

She was found to have bruising on her scalp, cheeks, upper chest, back, sacral area and left hip.

The couple had since agreed to give the victim compensation of $1,000, according to their lawyer Rajan Nair.

But the prosecution argued that this was insufficient and asked for compensation of $4,800 for loss of earnings, as Ms Limbaga had stopped working in January 2015 and was residing in the Philippine Embassy here. She did not work during this period, the prosecution said. While working for the couple, Ms Limbaga was paid $400 a month.

Her male employer is expected to be sentenced on Feb 19.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Two more get jail and caning for $624K gang robbery at Aljunied Crescent carpark

Annadurai Raman (centre) and Tachana Moorthy Peromal were given 12 strokes of the cane for their role in a robbery in June 2014.PHOTO: ST FILE

Published 6 hours ago
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent

SINGAPORE - Two more men were sentenced to jail and ordered to be given the minimum 12 strokes of the cane on Wednesday (Feb 3) for their role in the $624,000 gang robbery at an open air carpark at Aljunied Crescent more than a year ago.

Annadurai Raman, 43, a Singapore permanent resident, and Malaysian Tachana Moorthy Peromal, 29, admitted on Monday (Feb 1) to abetment by conspiracy with six others to rob Mr Ali Yousouf Saiboo of two luggage bags containing local and foreign currencies amounting to $624,036, and two mobile phones on Nov 5, 2014.

Like his accomplice Ravi Sandhira Sagaran, a 28-year-old Malaysian, Annadurai was also sentenced to seven years' jail and 12 strokes. Tachana, who played a key role in the planning and execution of the robbery, was given nine years and caning. Both Annadurai and Tachana did not take part in the actual robbery.

The others, all Malaysians, are at large.

Mr Saiboo, 35, was working as a manager at his father-in-law's moneychanging business, which, among other things, employs couriers to deliver bundles of money to its customers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The same couriers would also collect foreign and Singapore currencies in cash from these customers in KL and deliver them to the company in Singapore.

Around June 2014, Tachana and a few of his accomplices planned to commit robbery in Singapore of the currencies being transported by the company's couriers and passed over to Mr Saiboo.

Tachana contacted Annadurai who agreed to help him. Others were roped in.

Between September and October 2014, members of the gang entered Singapore a few times and met Annadurai to discuss how to carry out the robbery.

Tachana told Annadurai to get rental cars as transport for his accomplices as well as to tail the victim's car and observe the route taken by him.

Annadurai's role was to look out for Mr Saiboo's car along Bedok Reservoir Road near Eunos Link while the group of five including Ravi would rob him near the victim's home in Geylang East Central.

But the heist took place at the carpark of Aljunied Crescent where Mr Saiboo had intended to safekeep the currencies at his father-in-law's home.

Sometime after midnight on Nov 5, the group of five, who were in balaclavas and face masks, blocked Mr Saiboo's car at the carpark with a stolen car. On seeing them, Mr Saiboo, who was with his two-year-old son, activated the door locks in his car.

One of the robbers used a crowbar to repeatedly hit the driver side of Mr Saiboo's car, causing it to shatter. One threatened to kill his son.

Mr Saiboo was dragged out of his car and punched in his body. The robbers moved the two pieces of luggage from the car boot of Mr Saiboo's car into their stolen vehicle. One of the robbers kicked Mr Saiboo in the stomach before leaving.

Annadurai was arrested on Nov 8 that year. Tachana and Ravi were arrested in Malaysia four days later. Cash of US$30,000 and RM23,645 were found in Tachana's car and at the workshop of his logistics business.

The duo could have been jailed for up to 20 years and caned.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Belgian accused of killing son to be remanded another six weeks pending forensics report

Philippe Marcel Guy Graffart arriving at the State Courts on Oct 7, 2015. PHOTO: ST FILE

Published 8 hours ago
Amir Hussain

SINGAPORE - A Belgian man accused of killing his five-year-old son in their D'Leedon condominium home in October last year will be remanded in Changi Prison for another six weeks, pending the completion of a forensic investigation report.

Philippe Marcel Guy Graffart appeared in court via video-link on Wednesday. His case will be mentioned again on March 23.

The 41-year-old was charged on Oct 7, last year, with the murder of Keryan Gabriel Cedric Graffart. He allegedly committed the act at his 32nd-storey home at 3 Leedon Heights, the day before he was first brought to court.

He was then remanded for four weeks at the medical centre in Changi Prison for a psychiatric assessment.

He was subsequently remanded at the Central Police Division to assist in investigations.

Graffart worked for the Singapore investment management arm of Nordea, a company that describes itself as the largest financial group in northern Europe.

Graffart's lawyer Ramesh Tiwary told The Straits Times that he will study the forensic report once it has been completed.

Mr Tiwary also said that he has been in touch with his client, having visited him a few times in prison.

Asked about Graffart's condition, the lawyer said: "He's naturally very depressed about what's happened."

If convicted of his charge, murder with intention, Graffart faces the mandatory death penalty.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

2 Myanmar nationals arrested for attempting to leave Singapore illegally

Myanmar nationals found with inflated bicycle tubes.

Photo: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority

Tuesday, Feb 9, 2016

Two male Myanmar nationals have been arrested by the authorities for attempting to leave Singapore illegally on Tuesday morning (Feb 9), said the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Singapore Police Force in a joint statement.

The Police Coast Guard (PCG) had informed ICA officers at Woodlands Checkpoint that they had seen two men walking along the water pipeline towards Malaysia at about 4.05am.

The authorities were immediately deployed to locate the two men, who were found at about 4.15am and arrested on the spot.

The men, aged 26 and 42, were found with that were suspected to be used as floatation devices.

Preliminary investigations showed that the two offenders had overstayed in Singapore.

Under the Immigration Act (Cap 133), the penalties for overstaying or illegal entry are a jail term of up to six months and a minimum of three strokes of the cane. The penalties for illegal departure is a fine of up to $2,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.

Investigations are ongoing.

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