Man pleads guilty to displaying secret society-related banner
By Shaffiq Alkhatib | Posted: 21 September 2011 1441 hrs
A man was convicted on Wednesday of displaying a funeral banner issued by a secret society at his mother's wake. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
SINGAPORE: A 34-year-old man pleaded guilty in a district court on Wednesday to displaying a funeral banner issued by a secret society during his mother's wake.
Kelvin Gan Boon Wah, an office boy, admitted that he had done so at the void deck of Block 91 Henderson Road on April 6.
A police officer from the Secret Societies Branch checked on the wake that day and saw the banner which said, "Tekka Righteous Brothers" on it in Chinese characters.
It was seized and sent to the Branch's triad expert who later produced a report stating that the words referred to members of a secret society operating in the Tekka area at Little India.
The expert also said that it is a practice in the secret society fraternity for such banners to be hung at funeral wakes of gang members or their loved ones as a sign of respect.
The stocky bespectacled Gan, who has visible tattoos on his neck and on the back of his hands, appeared in court on Wednesday dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt with blue jeans.
Court documents stated that he is a secret society member but Gan disputed this, saying that he left the gang four years ago.
He told District Judge Christopher Goh that he has depression and cannot get over his mother's death.
Gan, who is unrepresented, also said in his mitigation plea that he is currently attending a computer course to improve himself.
Judge Goh has asked prosecution to check with the investigating officer to confirm Gan's claims that he is no longer a secret society member.
The case has been adjourned to October 17.
Gan can be jailed up to two years, fined a maximum of S$5,000 or both for displaying the banner.
- CNA/fa
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