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Army captain turns loan-shark runner to settle casino debt
By Khushwant Singh
AN ARMY captain who lost money gambling at the Resorts World Sentosa casino ended up becoming a loan shark's runner, vandalising the homes of alleged debtors.
Kheng Kok Keong, 34, who owed money to an illegal moneylender, was caught when he returned to a flat he had vandalised to pick up his pack of cigarettes.
He had scribbled the victim's name and identity card number on the wall and scrawled "O$P$" - meaning "owe money, pay money". He also squeezed super glue into the padlock on the gate.
The logistics officer, who once served as a peacekeeper in Timor Leste, returned to the Commonwealth Crescent flat an hour later after he realised he had left his cigarettes there.
The 43-year-old occupant guessed Kheng was the culprit, caught him and handed him to the police.
They found three tins of paint in his possession, as well as a bottle of thinner and two cellphones - tools typically used by loan shark runners.
Kheng, a father of two, pleaded guilty yesterday to four charges of harassment. Seventeen other charges will be taken into consideration when he is sentenced on Thursday.
Not only was his 14-year career in the Singapore Armed Forces in ruins, but his Taiwanese wife had also left him, the court heard, taking their two children with her.
Investigations revealed that Kheng owed money to a loan shark known only as Ah Seng and agreed to harass other debtors in return for having his debt reduced by $2,000 every month.
The court was not told how much he owed but his lawyer, Mr G. Dinagaran, said Kheng had built up losses after visiting the casino at Resorts World Sentosa.
After incessant harassment by Ah Seng's runners, Kheng agreed to be a runner too, he added.
The court heard that since Kheng was remanded in October, Ah Seng's men had harassed his family by scribbling on walls, throwing paint and using super glue to destroy keyholes and padlocks - the very things he used to do.
This drove his Taiwanese wife to walk out of the marriage and return to Taiwan with their children, aged five and seven, Mr Dinagaran said.
Kheng, who earned $5,000 a month, will also be dismissed from the army, Mr Dinagaran added.
Pleading for a light sentence, he said Kheng had never been in trouble with the law before and had served the army honourably before this incident.
He had also been commended but the documents to prove this were unavailable.
The lawyer said this was because Kheng's parents were afraid to collect them from his flat in Yishun Avenue 6, which was being practically besieged by Ah Seng's runners.
Anyone convicted of harassment can be jailed for up to five years and fined between $5,000 and $50,000 on each charge. If property is damaged they will be given three to six strokes of the cane.
By Khushwant Singh
AN ARMY captain who lost money gambling at the Resorts World Sentosa casino ended up becoming a loan shark's runner, vandalising the homes of alleged debtors.
Kheng Kok Keong, 34, who owed money to an illegal moneylender, was caught when he returned to a flat he had vandalised to pick up his pack of cigarettes.
He had scribbled the victim's name and identity card number on the wall and scrawled "O$P$" - meaning "owe money, pay money". He also squeezed super glue into the padlock on the gate.
The logistics officer, who once served as a peacekeeper in Timor Leste, returned to the Commonwealth Crescent flat an hour later after he realised he had left his cigarettes there.
The 43-year-old occupant guessed Kheng was the culprit, caught him and handed him to the police.
They found three tins of paint in his possession, as well as a bottle of thinner and two cellphones - tools typically used by loan shark runners.
Kheng, a father of two, pleaded guilty yesterday to four charges of harassment. Seventeen other charges will be taken into consideration when he is sentenced on Thursday.
Not only was his 14-year career in the Singapore Armed Forces in ruins, but his Taiwanese wife had also left him, the court heard, taking their two children with her.
Investigations revealed that Kheng owed money to a loan shark known only as Ah Seng and agreed to harass other debtors in return for having his debt reduced by $2,000 every month.
The court was not told how much he owed but his lawyer, Mr G. Dinagaran, said Kheng had built up losses after visiting the casino at Resorts World Sentosa.
After incessant harassment by Ah Seng's runners, Kheng agreed to be a runner too, he added.
The court heard that since Kheng was remanded in October, Ah Seng's men had harassed his family by scribbling on walls, throwing paint and using super glue to destroy keyholes and padlocks - the very things he used to do.
This drove his Taiwanese wife to walk out of the marriage and return to Taiwan with their children, aged five and seven, Mr Dinagaran said.
Kheng, who earned $5,000 a month, will also be dismissed from the army, Mr Dinagaran added.
Pleading for a light sentence, he said Kheng had never been in trouble with the law before and had served the army honourably before this incident.
He had also been commended but the documents to prove this were unavailable.
The lawyer said this was because Kheng's parents were afraid to collect them from his flat in Yishun Avenue 6, which was being practically besieged by Ah Seng's runners.
Anyone convicted of harassment can be jailed for up to five years and fined between $5,000 and $50,000 on each charge. If property is damaged they will be given three to six strokes of the cane.
