Ah nehs...

3 months’ jail for man who molested 12-year-old girl at Jalan Besar Swimming Complex​

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Nadine Chua
May 16, 2025

SINGAPORE - A tourist who molested a 12-year-old girl at a swimming pool and tried to pull her into the toilet with him was sentenced to three months’ jail on May 16.

Indian national Pramender, 25, who goes by one name, pleaded guilty to molesting the girl and attempting to obtain an indecent act from her.

The girl, now 13, cannot be named due to a gag order to protect her identity.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ashley Chin said Pramender’s offences took place on March 31 at Jalan Besar Swimming Complex, where the girl was swimming with her cousins.

After her swim at around 6pm, she noticed Pramender staring at her. She walked to the female toilet and saw him following her.

He caught up with her and asked her to follow him on Instagram. She declined, but he took her phone, which was unlocked, and used it to key in his details on the social media platform.

Pramender gave her a side hug, causing the towel she had wrapped around her body to fall off her shoulder, resulting in direct contact between them.

Despite the girl’s shock, Pramender asked her to go into the female toilet with him. He then tried to pull her to the toilet, but she resisted.

He went into the toilet alone and called out to her, urging her to join him there.

She refused, and replied that she needed to return to her family and asked her female cousin to accompany her to the toilet.

After both girls entered the toilet, Pramender loitered outside.

The cousin asked him to leave and stood at the toilet’s entrance to stop him from entering.

DPP Chin said Pramender sent the girl 13 messages and two audio call requests on Instagram, telling her he liked her and that he was waiting for her.

ncgirl16 - Screengrabs provided in court documents of the messages Pramender sent to a 12-year-old girl. He was convicted of molesting her on May 16. Credit: Court documents

Pramender sent the girl 13 messages and two audio call requests on Instagram, telling her he liked her and that he was waiting for her.PHOTO: COURT DOCUMENTS
Frightened by the messages, the girl and her cousin informed the lifeguard on duty and a police report was made.

Seeking two to three months’ jail, DPP Chin said there was some degree of sexual exploitation and harm done to the victim, who was young and vulnerable.

The prosecutor added: “There were clear, intentional and repeated attempts to procure some type of sexual gratification from the victim. He even attempted to pull her into the toilet.”

In mitigation, Pramender, who was unrepresented, apologised for his actions.

He told District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt: “I just ask for forgiveness, Your Honour. I have already apologised to the girl’s family. My mother is a cancer patient, and I’d like to return to India as soon as possible.”

In sentencing, Judge Chay referred to Pramender’s acts as persistent and predatory advances and highlighted the young age of the victim, who was shocked and frightened by what he had done.

Those convicted of molesting a child below 14 years old can be jailed for up to five years, fined, caned, or receive any combination of such punishments.

Outrage of modesty was one of the top crimes of concern in 2024 with shop theft, and voyeurism.

The number of outrage of modesty cases fell by 6.6 per cent from 1,528 in 2023 to 1,427 in 2024.
 

Jail for shipping firm ex-foreman who bribed security officer when smuggling cigarettes into S’pore​

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Christine Tan
Dec 19, 2024

SINGAPORE – A former foreman and several workers at a shipping company operated in a criminal syndicate to smuggle contraband cigarettes from overseas, which they sold surreptitiously at the Penjuru Terminal in Jurong over at least two years.

They unloaded duty-unpaid cigarettes from vessels docked at the terminal, and bribed a security officer at the terminal to allow the cigarettes to pass through without scrutiny.

The former foreman, Theku Raja Suresh, 41, was sentenced to eight weeks’ jail after he pleaded guilty on Dec 19 to two counts of abetting corruption. Two similar charges were taken into consideration for his sentencing.

The court heard that the Indian national worked at Eng Hup Shipping. He was initially a mooring crew member and was promoted to foreman in 2015.

He was part of a contraband cigarette syndicate that consisted of at least eight members, including his colleagues Rathnakumar Deepan and Vadivalu Dharman.

Ahmad Khamis, 64, who was a senior security officer at Pico Guards from 2020 to 2021, was deployed at the terminal to control personnel movement and ensure that contraband material was not brought into Singapore.

Outlining the smuggling process, Deputy Public Prosecutor Andrew Chia said members of the syndicate would receive news that the cigarettes would be onboard a particular vessel berthing at the terminal.

Theku would then ensure that the mooring crew deployed to that vessel would consist of members of the syndicate.

The syndicate members would offload the cigarettes – typically contained in black trash bags – and transport them to the mooring crew changing room area.

They would then load the cigarettes onto a buggy car and drive it to the terminal’s rubbish chute area. To reach there, the car would have to go past the main guardhouse where Ahmad was.

DPP Chia said the syndicate members would inform Ahmad when the contraband cigarettes would be arriving at the terminal, and the security officer would make arrangements to be on duty then.

When he saw the buggy car arriving, Ahmad would automatically lift the security barrier to allow it to pass through.

The syndicate members would sell the cigarettes to buyers at the rubbish chute area, where there was no CCTV. They subsequently split the profits.

Each time Ahmad helped the syndicate, he would be paid between $50 and $200 on the same or following day.

From 2020 to 2021, Theku helped Rathnakumar and Vadivalu to pass between $50 and $150 to Ahmad at the guardhouse on each of six occasions.

Theku was arrested on Feb 3, 2023, by officers from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

For his role in the scheme, Theku received at least $2,350 out of the profits made by the syndicate. CPIB said Ahmad obtained at least $4,750 in bribes.

Theku pleaded for a lighter sentence in his mitigation, citing his unemployment for the past two years due to ongoing investigations.

Court documents did not disclose the outcome of the cases involving Vadivalu and Rathnakumar.

Ahmad is facing 13 graft charges and two other charges under the Customs Act linked to the contraband cigarettes. He is expected to plead guilty on Jan 3, 2025.
 

Jail, fine for 2 women caught stealing at Changi Airport while in transit to Bali​

One of the two travellers, Garg Prasha, was given a fine of $700 after pleading guilty to one count of theft.

One of the two travellers, Garg Prasha, was given a fine of $700 after pleading guilty to one count of theft.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Andrew Wong
Jun 16, 2025

SINGAPORE – Two travellers flew into Singapore from Kolkata, India, during a short transit before continuing their journey to Bali.

While in transit on June 2, the pair decided to steal from shops at Changi Airport but were quickly caught by the authorities.

Garg Prasha, 30, entered the Charles & Keith store at Terminal 2, after arriving from India.

While browsing the shop at around 7am, she spotted a black haversack bag on display and decided to take it from the shop by placing it into the luggage trolley she was pushing. She then left the shop without paying.

When an employee noticed what was happening, a police report was made.

Garg was found and arrested shortly after with the haversack, worth more than $80, recovered in its original condition.

On June 16, she was given a fine of $700 after pleading guilty to one count of theft.

Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan said Garg had committed the offence less than an hour after arriving in Singapore.

“The only saving grace was that the bag was recovered, but she has been effectively caught red-handed here,” said the judge.


Meanwhile, Goenka Simran, 29, was also sentenced on June 16 to eight days’ jail after she pleaded guilty to one count of theft in dwelling. Another similar charge was taken into consideration during her sentencing.

Goenka had flown into Singapore and was awaiting her connecting flight to Bali when she decided to head to the shops at Terminal 3.

The court heard that she entered the Furla store at 1.40pm and saw a yellow purse on display. She then took the purse, worth more than $300, and placed it on the luggage trolley she was pushing, before leaving the store without making payment.

She also admitted to stealing a bottle of perfume at a cosmetics store at Terminal 2, valued at more than $200.

“She was only supposed to be in Singapore for 10 hours, but she decided to help herself to the goods worth more than $500 in total during that time,” said the judge.

“She would have gotten away if not for the quick actions of the authorities and staff, and once she gets away, it would be impossible to recover the items.”

The prosecution added that while the pair are known to each other, they did not act as part of a syndicate.

Those who commit theft can be jailed for up to three years, fined or both.

The offence of theft in dwelling carries a jail term of up to seven years and a fine.
 
Indian tourists can afford to fly to overseas destinations, but will still shoplift to avoid paying for goods. That sure sounds like a certain Iswaran.
 

Jail for man who called for then President Halimah’s death and threatened to stab judge​


Vickreman Harvey Chettiar published the social media post as he felt aggrieved over the executions of drug traffickers.

Vickreman Harvey Chettiar published the social media post as he felt aggrieved over the executions of drug traffickers.

Feb 14, 2025

SINGAPORE - A man was out on bail for offences including harassment when he said in an Instagram story in 2023 that then President Halimah Yacob “deserves to be dragged out” and killed.

Vickreman Harvey Chettiar published the social media post as he felt aggrieved over the executions of drug traffickers.

After he was charged, he told a police officer that he wanted to stab a judge who presided over his case at the time.


On Feb 12, Vickreman, 34, was sentenced to 10 months and 12 weeks’ jail after he pleaded guilty to three harassment charges. The Singaporean also admitted to one count of fabricating false evidence.

Fourteen other charges, including multiple counts of harassment, were considered during his sentencing.

Without revealing details, deputy public prosecutors Kevin Yong and Shaun Lim stated in court documents that Vickreman had earlier claimed to be suffering from mental disorders.

The Institute of Mental Health found his complaints to be unsubstantiated after examining him on two separate occasions.

On April 30, 2023, he published the Instagram story calling for Madam Halimah’s death.

Members of the public could view the post and one of them alerted the police.

Vickreman was charged in court over the post and District Judge Lorraine Ho imposed bail conditions, stating: “(The) accused is to delete all posts from his social media accounts as well as to delete all social media applications from all his electronic devices.

“The accused is not to log in to any social media accounts on any devices including those not belonging to him. The accused is not to post any posts or make any comments on any social media platforms or accounts.”

A trial was then fixed for March 5 to 7, 2024.

But on Feb 28 that year, Vickreman filled out a submission on the State Courts website, making several demands and declaring an intent not to attend the trial.

The State Courts saw the submission and one of its staff members replied by e-mail, advising Vickreman to desist from such behaviour and attend the trial.

On March 1, 2024, Vickreman, who was unhappy with the bail conditions, replied to the e-mail with a message that contained a threat of violence against Judge Ho.

The State Courts lodged a police report and the trial was postponed due to Vickreman’s claims of illness.

One week after sending his threatening e-mail, Vickreman called the police hotline and told an officer that he wanted to slash and stab the judge. The officer lodged a report on the matter.

Three days later, the prosecution applied to revoke Vickreman’s bail, partly on the basis that he had reoffended.

To help his then defence lawyer resist the prosecution’s application to revoke bail, Vickreman filed a police report on March 18, 2024.

The DPPs said: “The accused stated that the 999 call on March 8, 2024, was made to report that the accused’s e-mail account had been compromised, and that the accused was merely trying to report the contents of e-mails purportedly sent out from the accused’s e-mail address. This was however untrue.”

Another judge adjourned the hearing to March 22, 2024, but Vickreman failed to attend. A warrant was then issued for his arrest.

He was arrested on April 5 that year before he appeared in court the next day. He has been remanded since then.
 
Jail for man who called for then President Halimah’s death and threatened to stab judge
Vickreman Harvey Chettiar published the social media post as he felt aggrieved over the executions of drug traffickers.
Is Vickreman Harvey Chettiar wearing a bomb vest?

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Jail for man who used investors’ funds to pay debts, lied that money had been stolen​


Madarssamarecar Mohamed Bagurudeen, 48, was handed a jail term of four years and 11 months.

Madarssamarecar Mohamed Bagurudeen, 48, was handed a jail term of four years and 11 months.

Apr 15, 2025

SINGAPORE - A man who used money he had received from investors to pay off his own debts has been sentenced to jail.

On April 15, Madarssamarecar Mohamed Bagurudeen, 48, was handed a jail term of four years and 11 months.

The Singapore permanent resident had earlier pleaded guilty to five counts of criminal breach of trust.


In 2017, he had promoted a scheme that promised investors a monthly interest of up to 3 per cent for convertible loans they provided to his company for a predetermined period.

In total, Madarssamarecar received $865,000 from four investors into his firm, The Gold Souk Investment Holding. Business records show the firm, which has been struck off, was an investment holding company.

He ran into trouble in 2018 when his money-changing businesses started to lose money, and decided to use the investors’ funds to pay what he owed in the form of investment returns or refunds to other clients.

He also used money from an acquaintance, referred to in court as Farook, to pay his debtors without Farook’s knowledge.

The two men had an arrangement where Farook would pay a commission to Madarssamarecar for helping him obtain cashier’s orders for the purchase of property and vehicles.

Between October 2018 and January 2019, Madarssamarecar helped to obtain cashier’s orders on more than 10 occasions, pocketing commissions of at least $8,000.


In January 2019, Madarssamarecar closed the bank account he had been using to receive money from Farook. He then asked another man, Sivakumar Madivanan, 40, to help receive the money instead.

That same month, Farook deposited $2.7 million into Sivakumar’s account for a property purchase and asked Madarssamarecar to obtain a cashier’s order for a deposit on the purchase.

The next day, Farook attempted to deposit another $2.9 million into Sivakumar’s account, but the bank denied the transaction. It was not explained in court why the transaction failed to go through.

Farook then decided to hand over the $2.9 million to Madarssamarecar in cash, so that he could deposit the money himself and apply for the necessary cashier’s order.

The two met at a carpark in People’s Park Centre, where Farook handed over the money and various documents related to the purchase of property.

Around this time, Madarssamarecar had other money changers pressing him for repayment of currencies that his money changing companies had purchased from them.


So he instructed Sivakumar to pay the creditors with $500,000 taken from the $2.9 million received.

On the same day, Madarssamarecar told Farook that he could not give him the cashier’s order for the initial $2.7 million, as the bank had questioned him.

Sceptical, Farook asked for the $2.9 million cash to be returned to him, but Madarssamarecar was able to return only $2.4 million.

Madarssamarecar claimed the remaining $500,000 had been deposited, and that he could not contact the bank account holder, leading Farook to contact the police.

The court heard that Madarssamarecar defaulted on his payments to the investors of The Gold Souk Investment Holding when investigations into Farook’s complaint began in January 2019.

To buy time, he lied to the investors that their money had been stolen in Malaysia, after he had used the funds to purchase $10 million in Malaysian ringgit.

Court documents did not provide details on the status of the $2.7 million that Madarssamarecar had received from Farook.

Sivakumar faces two charges for criminal breach of trust for his alleged role in the incident. His case is still before the courts.
 

Repeat offender who cheated 61 victims of over $310k in total gets 2½ years’ jail​

Arivalagan Muthusamy was under a remission order when he committed some of his latest offences.

Arivalagan Muthusamy was under a remission order when he committed some of his latest offences.

Jun 04, 2025

SINGAPORE – A man who was released from jail in December 2022 did not learn his lesson and devised a scheme to con multiple contractors, cheating 61 victims of more than $310,000 in total.

Court documents stated that Arivalagan Muthusamy had committed earlier offences – forgery for the purpose of cheating in 2013 and computer misuse offences in a syndicate involved in gold and cryptocurrency scams in 2021.

He was under a remission order when he committed some of his latest offences. As part of the order, he was supposed to keep himself out of trouble from Dec 17, 2022, to March 28, 2023.

But the unemployed Singaporean went on to cheat multiple victims, including firms dealing with flooring works and air-conditioning units, before he was arrested on July 4, 2023. He was charged in court the next day.

On June 4, the 40-year-old, who has made no restitution, was sentenced to 2½ years’ jail after he pleaded guilty to 21 counts of cheating, involving nearly $154,000 in total. The 21 companies were each cheated out of between around $5,400 and $10,000.

More than 40 charges linked to remaining victims and ill-gotten gains were considered during Arivalagan’s sentencing. He must also spend an additional 88 days behind bars after breaching the remission order.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Maximilian Chew told the court that in late 2022, Arivalagan learnt of scams conducted against contractors and decided to commit similar offences.

As part of his ruse, he would contact a contractor claiming that he needed some works to be carried out at certain premises, usually a commercial building such as a shopping mall.

He would then redirect the victim to a “contact person”, purportedly someone with the building management of such properties.

After that, Arivalagan would falsely present himself as a representative of the building management and ask the victim to pay a sum of money for items such as security deposits. He would provide bank account details for such a purpose.

To execute the scams, Arivalagan needed multiple mobile phone numbers to contact the victims. He also required multiple bank accounts to receive the scam proceeds.

To get these, he approached two men – Thomas Sng Jian Wen, 35, a stall assistant, and Ahammed Md Riaz, 29, a construction worker – and asked them to procure bank accounts from their contacts.

DPP Chew said that Sng, a Singaporean, and Ahammed, a Bangladeshi, agreed to be part of the plan, knowing that the bank accounts would be used to perpetrate scams. Court documents did not disclose the outcome of the cases involving Sng and Ahammed.

DPP Chew said that Arivalagan cheated two companies of $10,000 each.

In February 2023, he contacted one of them, claiming that he required epoxy flooring and painting works at the Capital Tower building in the Tanjong Pagar area.

He told the victim to pay $10,000 to the “building management of the premises” for a purported “permit-to-work” and provided a bank account number. The victim complied.

Arivalagan used a similar method to cheat the other victims.

On June 4, DPP Chew asked the court to sentence Arivalagan to an aggregate sentence of 2½ years’ imprisonment, with an additional sentence of 88 days behind bars.

Stressing that the offences were planned and premeditated, he said: “The accused also roped in Thomas and Riaz to procure bank accounts belonging to others to receive the proceeds of the scams.

“Not only is there a group element to the offences, such money mule activities are also additional offences themselves and which warrant the imposition of a strong deterrent sentence.”

For each count of cheating, an offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
 

3 months’ jail for man who molested 12-year-old girl at Jalan Besar Swimming Complex​

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Nadine Chua
May 16, 2025

SINGAPORE - A tourist who molested a 12-year-old girl at a swimming pool and tried to pull her into the toilet with him was sentenced to three months’ jail on May 16.

Indian national Pramender, 25, who goes by one name, pleaded guilty to molesting the girl and attempting to obtain an indecent act from her.

The girl, now 13, cannot be named due to a gag order to protect her identity.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ashley Chin said Pramender’s offences took place on March 31 at Jalan Besar Swimming Complex, where the girl was swimming with her cousins.

After her swim at around 6pm, she noticed Pramender staring at her. She walked to the female toilet and saw him following her.

He caught up with her and asked her to follow him on Instagram. She declined, but he took her phone, which was unlocked, and used it to key in his details on the social media platform.

Pramender gave her a side hug, causing the towel she had wrapped around her body to fall off her shoulder, resulting in direct contact between them.

Despite the girl’s shock, Pramender asked her to go into the female toilet with him. He then tried to pull her to the toilet, but she resisted.

He went into the toilet alone and called out to her, urging her to join him there.

She refused, and replied that she needed to return to her family and asked her female cousin to accompany her to the toilet.

After both girls entered the toilet, Pramender loitered outside.

The cousin asked him to leave and stood at the toilet’s entrance to stop him from entering.

DPP Chin said Pramender sent the girl 13 messages and two audio call requests on Instagram, telling her he liked her and that he was waiting for her.

ncgirl16 - Screengrabs provided in court documents of the messages Pramender sent to a 12-year-old girl. He was convicted of molesting her on May 16. Credit: Court documents

Pramender sent the girl 13 messages and two audio call requests on Instagram, telling her he liked her and that he was waiting for her.PHOTO: COURT DOCUMENTS
Frightened by the messages, the girl and her cousin informed the lifeguard on duty and a police report was made.

Seeking two to three months’ jail, DPP Chin said there was some degree of sexual exploitation and harm done to the victim, who was young and vulnerable.

The prosecutor added: “There were clear, intentional and repeated attempts to procure some type of sexual gratification from the victim. He even attempted to pull her into the toilet.”

In mitigation, Pramender, who was unrepresented, apologised for his actions.

He told District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt: “I just ask for forgiveness, Your Honour. I have already apologised to the girl’s family. My mother is a cancer patient, and I’d like to return to India as soon as possible.”

In sentencing, Judge Chay referred to Pramender’s acts as persistent and predatory advances and highlighted the young age of the victim, who was shocked and frightened by what he had done.

Those convicted of molesting a child below 14 years old can be jailed for up to five years, fined, caned, or receive any combination of such punishments.

Outrage of modesty was one of the top crimes of concern in 2024 with shop theft, and voyeurism.

The number of outrage of modesty cases fell by 6.6 per cent from 1,528 in 2023 to 1,427 in 2024.
Someone please get a herd of viagra fed bulls to gangrape this guy from dusk till dawn? Thank you
 
My S'porean Indian JC buddy once remarked that locals like him are no match for CECAs whom he described as double-headed serpents.
 

Jail, fine for unlicensed moneylender who lent at least $5.9k to maids with 15% interest​

Stanley Suresh Nadaraja was given his sentence after he pleaded guilty to one count of operating a moneylending business without a licence.

Stanley Suresh Nadaraja was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to operating a moneylending business without a licence.

Jun 24, 2025

SINGAPORE – An unlicensed moneylender has been sentenced to seven months’ jail and fined $30,000 after providing loans to multiple domestic helpers with 15 per cent interest.

Stanley Suresh Nadaraja was caught after he went to the home of one of the women’s employers to look for her over an unpaid loan and a member of the household made a police report.

On June 23, the 47-year-old Singaporean was given his sentence after he pleaded guilty to one count of operating a moneylending business without a licence.


He will spend an additional month behind bars if he fails to pay the fine.

From 2021 to 2023, he provided 19 loans totalling at least $5,900 and obtained at least $885 in interest.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Joseph Gwee told the court that Stanley, who used to work as a school van driver, began his unlawful moneylending business in October 2021 after suffering a serious fall.

He needed funds to pay for his medical fees and daily expenses, and initially gave loans to his wife’s friends.

After some domestic helpers found out about his services and contacted him, he also extended loans to them.

Those who borrowed money from Stanley had to share information with him, including their passport details and bank account numbers.

He would tell them that he charged 15 per cent interest for each loan before transferring the money to their bank accounts via PayNow.

The women repaid their loans via the same payment system, said the DPP.

In 2021, he provided three loans totalling $900 to three domestic helpers and gave 11 loans totalling $3,500 to another eight the following year.

Stanley provided five loans totalling $1,500 to four domestic helpers in 2023, said the prosecutor.

On Oct 3 that year, a woman made a police report after he went to her condominium to look for her helper.

The authorities managed to trace him, and he was charged in court in 2024.
 

Man who put Grab driver in a chokehold after argument about vomit in car given jail​

He was a regular serviceman with the Singapore Armed Forces at the time of the offence.
Man who put Grab driver in a chokehold after argument about vomit in car given jail

File photo of the State Courts of Singapore. (File photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

Koh Wan Ting
26 Jun 2025

SINGAPORE: A man who got into a scuffle with his Grab driver after traces of his vomit were found in the car put the driver in a chokehold.

Ashton Jude Joseph, 34, was handed five weeks' jail on Thursday (Jun 26) after he pleaded guilty to one count of causing hurt to the driver, 46-year-old Lee Chee Wei.

Joseph, a Singaporean, was a regular serviceman in the Singapore Armed Forces holding the rank of Captain at the time of the offences.

His lawyer told the court that he intends to appeal the sentence.

According to court documents, Joseph met a group of friends at a bar near Serangoon Road at about 7pm on Aug 30 last year. He drank about six or seven pints of beer through the night.

At about 3am the next day, a Grab booking was made to send Joseph home, and Mr Lee was the assigned driver. Mr Lee noticed that Joseph, who sat in the backseat, was drunk.

While on the way home, Joseph felt nauseated and asked Mr Lee for a plastic bag. Mr Lee handed over a plastic bag, which Joseph then vomited into.

The driver offered to stop the car at the roadside for Joseph to finish vomiting, but the latter declined the suggestion.

At about 3.30am, the car arrived at the destination and Joseph alighted.

Mr Lee also alighted to check if there was vomit in his car and noticed traces on the seats and carpets.

Upset, Mr Lee removed the carpets and started to scold Joseph, triggering an argument over the next few minutes.

As Mr Lee returned to his car and reached for the backseat, Joseph grabbed the back of his neck, prompting the victim to shout for help.

Joseph then put Mr Lee in a chokehold. He stopped as a van arrived at the scene a while later, and walked away.

Two witnesses who alighted from the van chased Joseph, who started to run but tripped and fell, injuring his nose. Both witnesses and Joseph then returned to the car.

The altercation was captured by two PolCams near the scene.

Mr Lee felt pain in his neck due to the incident and called the police at about 3.40am.

The authorities arrived a short while later and arrested Joseph. His blood sample was found to contain 124 milligrams of ethanol in 100ml of blood.

Joseph has since offered S$500 (US$392) as compensation and a written apology to Mr Lee.

The prosecution sought five to six weeks’ jail. Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicole Tay said Joseph's reaction, although not entirely unprovoked, was disproportionate.

Ms Tay pointed out that Joseph had been convicted on one count of drink driving in 2016, among other charges.

District Judge Kamala Ponnampalam found that a jail term was warranted in this case and sentenced Joseph accordingly.

For voluntarily causing hurt, Joseph could have been jailed up to three years, or fined up to S$5,000, or both.

In response to queries from CNA, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) holds its service personnel to high standards of discipline and integrity.

Service personnel who commit offences will be dealt with in accordance with the law, it added.

"As the court proceedings are ongoing, the Ministry of Defence and the SAF are unable to comment further at this juncture. We will carefully assess the eventual findings before deciding on further appropriate disciplinary actions against CPT Ashton Jude Joseph."
 

Jail and caning for man linked to fatal Orchard Road brawl​

Kavind Raj Kannan and 10 other men had ganged up against the victim at Concorde Hotel in the wee hours of Aug 20, 2023.

Kavind Raj Kannan and 10 other men had ganged up against the victim at Concorde Hotel in the wee hours of Aug 20, 2023.

Jun 30, 2025

SINGAPORE – A man who was part of a group that beat up a former bouncer of an Orchard Road nightspot in 2023 was sentenced to two years and three months’ jail, and three strokes of the cane on June 30, after pleading guilty to a rioting charge.

Kavind Raj Kannan, 25, and 10 other men – referred to in court documents as the “rioting group” – had ganged up against Mr Mohammad Isrrat Mohd Ismail, then 29, at the Concorde Hotel in the wee hours of Aug 20, 2023.


According to court documents, Mr Isrrat died after he was repeatedly stabbed with his own knife by Asvain Pachan Pillai Sukumaran, a gang member who was part of the rioting group.


Asvain, then 30, has been charged with murder and his case is pending.

The group included Sridharan Elangovan, then 30, and Manojkumar Velayanatham, then 32, who were members of the same secret society as Asvain at the time.

Kavind, who was not a gang member, and some members of the rioting group went to Club Rumours in the wee hours of Aug 20, 2023.

Mr Isrrat and Muhammad Shahrulnizam Osman, then 31, had gone to Club Rumours shortly before 4.50am. Both were former bouncers at the nightspot in Concorde Hotel and Shopping Mall, and Mr Isrrat wanted to pass his wedding invitation cards to his former colleagues.

Both men were members of another secret society at the time.

Zurfaqar Musli, then 34 and the club’s chief bouncer, spotted members of the rioting group and asked Mohamad Zachary Danial Mohamad Azhar, then 23, to retrieve three knives from a locker outside the nightspot.


The latter did so, handing a watermelon knife to Zurfaqar and a bread knife to Shahrulnizam. Zachary armed himself with the third knife, and the trio returned to Club Rumours.

Mr Isrrat also armed himself with a knife.

After the nightspot closed around 6am, Mr Isrrat and Shahrulnizam yelled vulgarities at the men in the rioting group.

An unnamed person from the group then yelled a gang slogan. The group then confronted the pair and a scuffle broke out.

Shahrulnizam used a knife to slash three men. He and Mr Isrrat then ran off, pursued by the rioting group.

Mr Isrrat spotted a friend of the rioting group and stabbed the man’s forehead before fleeing.


Meanwhile, Shahrulnizam, who was ahead of Mr Isrrat, headed to a corridor outside Club Rumours. He then saw the rioting group running after Mr Isrrat.

The men surrounded Mr Isrrat near an escalator before Kavind and five others rained blows on him.

Mr Isrrat managed to get back up and run away, pursued by members of the rioting group.

They cornered him near a glass door exit leading towards Orchard Road and attacked him again.

This time, Kavind held him from the back by his shirt and shoved him into the door, causing him to fall to the ground.

Three other members of the rioting group then kicked Mr Isrrat, who managed to flee to an outdoor area.

Members of the rioting group continued pursuing him while Kavind trailed behind.

One of the men shoved Mr Isrrat, and he fell to the ground, dropping his knife.

Asvain picked up the weapon and stabbed Mr Isrrat repeatedly with it, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Brian Tan.

The rioting group then left the vicinity. Mr Issrat was later taken by ambulance to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he died soon after.

After the stabbing, five men, including Kavind, Asvain and Sridharan, entered Sridharan’s car, which was parked nearby.

The DPP said Asvain then suggested that they flee to Johor Baru, Malaysia.

Sridharan then drove to each man’s house to collect their passports. All five men were arrested at the Woodlands Checkpoint later that day.

On June 30, defence lawyers Amarick Gill and S. Ramanujen pleaded for Kavind to be given up to two years and two months’ jail with caning.

The lawyers from Amarick Gill law firm said: “(Mr Isrrat) himself began the fracas with vulgarities being hurled at the accused’s group.

“Someone in the accused’s group used gang slogans. (But) it was not stated who did so, and it was certainly not Kavind as he was not a secret society member.”

The lawyers added that Kavind was unaware that Mr Isrrat and Shahrulnizam were members of another gang at the time.

Sridharan and Manojkumar were among the members of the rioting group who were earlier sentenced to jail and caning. Zurfaqar, Zachary and Shahrulnizam were also dealt with in court earlier.
 

Electrician who bit off part of co-worker’s ear during fight gets 6 months’ jail​

Senthilkumar Vishnusakthi was sentenced to six months’ jail on July 3 for causing the victim to lose a segment of his earlobe permanently.

Senthilkumar Vishnusakthi was sentenced to six months’ jail on July 3 for causing the victim to lose a segment of his earlobe permanently.

Jul 03, 2025

SINGAPORE – After consuming three cans of beer, an intoxicated electrician got into a fight with a co-worker and bit off part of the man’s left earlobe.

Senthilkumar Vishnusakthi, 21, was sentenced to six months’ jail on July 3 for causing the victim to lose a segment of his earlobe permanently.

Senthilkumar had pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Mr Nesamani Hariharn, 31.

Court documents stated that a drunk Senthilkumar returned to his dormitory in Kallang at around 7pm on Feb 15 and saw Mr Nesamani watching a movie.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ryan Lim said: “(Senthilkumar) began talking loudly about the victim allegedly spying on him and reporting back to their work supervisor about (his) poor work performance.”

Senthilkumar also “called the victim a ‘dog’ for following him around”, the DPP added.

Mr Nesamani confronted Senthilkumar and they started arguing.

Subsequently, as the victim was walking back to his bed, Senthilkumar punched him.

The two Indian nationals then got into a fight and Senthilkumar bit off part of Mr Nesamani’s earlobe.

The other dormitory residents stepped in to restrain Senthilkumar and the police were alerted.

An ambulance took the victim to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he was found with injuries including a lacerated ear and facial wounds.

He was given nine days of hospitalisation leave and his wounds have since healed.

For voluntarily causing grievous hurt to another person, an offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined or caned.
 

Ex-cleaner jailed over safety lapses linked to guard’s death near 1-Altitude rooftop bar​

Mr Shaun Tung Mun Hon died of a head injury after he fell into a 4m-deep pit at the 1-Altitude rooftop bar in 2019, which was then located at One Raffles Place.

Mr Shaun Tung Mun Hon died of a head injury after he fell into a 4m-deep pit at the 1-Altitude rooftop bar in 2019, which was then located at One Raffles Place.

Jul 15, 2025

SINGAPORE – To use a gondola for facade cleaning at One Raffles Place, a man and his co-workers removed two floor slabs that covered a 4m-deep pit where the gondola was stored on the rooftop of the 63-storey building.

Freelance facade cleaning worker Suresh Kumar Shanmugam, who was the one giving work-related instructions at the time, failed to put back the slabs.

Tragedy struck on June 9, 2019, when part-time security officer Shaun Tung Mun Hon, 26, fell into the pit near the 1-Altitude rooftop bar. Mr Tung suffered a head injury and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

On July 15, Suresh, 63, who is now unemployed, was sentenced to two months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to performing a negligent act, which endangered the safety of others and contributed to Mr Tung’s death.

Ministry of Manpower prosecutors Melvyn Low and Nur Ishameena stated in court documents that at the time of the offence, restaurant and bar operator Synergyinthesky ran the 1-Altitude rooftop bar.

Property developer OUB Centre (OUBC), which was a co-owner of One Raffles Place, had engaged a firm called A&P Maintenance Services to clean the property’s common areas.

A&P Maintenance then contracted Clearvisions Cleaning Solutions for facade cleaning works.

Clearvisions Cleaning Solutions, in turn, contracted 5 Stars Integrated Facilities, which engaged freelance cleaners including Suresh.

OUBC, Synergyinthesky and A&P Maintenance were dealt with in court in 2023.

The prosecutors said that the cleaning of the building’s exterior started on May 6, 2019, and was expected to be completed by June 22 that year.

The workers had removed floor slabs over the pit so that the gondola could be moved along tracks to where the cleaning works were to be done. The tracks ran along the perimeter of the rooftop.

After doing cleaning works for the day, Suresh and the other workers did not put back the floor slabs to cover the opening, as they wanted to access the main gondola switch located within the pit.

The prosecutors said: “Although investigations revealed that the workers could have accessed the gondola pit and the main switch through an adjacent room, the workers were not aware of this access, as OUBC did not inform them about it.

“This particular floor opening was not closed even after facade cleaning work stopped at the end of each workday, as (Suresh) was of the view that it was inconvenient to reinstate the said floor slabs.”

Court documents stated that Suresh was aware that the uncovered floor opening posed a fall-from-height hazard, and that it was possible to put barricades around the gap. However, he felt that it was unnecessary to do so since only he and his team members were supposed to work in the area.


The prosecutors said this was not in compliance with the code of practice for working safely at heights, which states that for openings that a person may fall through, barriers should be erected around them.

The openings should also be guarded with wire mesh and covered with material strong enough to prevent people from entering.

During a coroner’s inquiry in 2020, the court heard that Mr Tung was shown the pit and briefed about it before he started his shift at the alfresco bar on the day of the fall. Barricades and warning signs had been erected on the second floor of the nightspot, where the pit opening was located, to prevent guests from entering the area.

Then State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam, however, noted that the barricades could be pushed aside and the area around the pit was not illuminated.

At around 1.30am on June 9, 2019, Mr Tung spotted two unidentified people entering the cordoned-off area. He ran towards them while shining his torch to warn them, but failed to notice the uncovered pit and fell into it.

On July 15, defence lawyer Christopher Bridges asked the court to sentence Suresh to two months’ jail.

The lawyer said: “The accused is fully aware that he should have placed barricades around the opening and accepts full responsibility.”
 

Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years’ jail​

Kevin Chelvam (left) was the last of three people to be convicted for abusing Ms Piang Ngaih Don, who weighed a mere 24kg when she died in 2016.

Kevin Chelvam (left) was the last of three people to be convicted for abusing Ms Piang Ngaih Don, who weighed a mere 24kg when she died in 2016.

Jul 17, 2025

SINGAPORE - Suspended police officer Kevin Chelvam was sentenced to 10 years’ jail on July 17 over his involvement in one of Singapore’s worst fatal maid abuse cases.

After a trial in April, District Judge Teoh Ai Lin convicted the 46-year-old Traffic Police officer of one count of abetting his then wife Gaiyathiri Murugayan to voluntarily cause grievous hurt by starving Ms Piang Ngaih Don, 24.

Chelvam, who was the maid’s registered employer, was also convicted of one count of voluntarily causing hurt by grabbing her hair and lifting her off the ground.

The judge also convicted him of one count each of giving false information to a police officer, and causing evidence relating to the case to disappear by dismantling a CCTV recorder installed in his Bishan flat.

On July 17, Chelvam was given a discharge amounting to an acquittal for his fifth and final charge – one count of using criminal force on Ms Piang Ngaih Don. This means he cannot be charged again over the same offence.

Before sentencing him, Judge Teoh stressed that the CCTV footage was a most crucial piece of evidence and Chelvam, as a police officer, was aware of its value.

The judge added that if the CCTV recorder had not been recovered, Ms Piang Ngaih Don could have “taken to her grave” what happened to her during the last days of her life.

Judge Teoh also noted that as the maid’s legal employer, Chelvam was obligated to ensure that the victim received sufficient food and rest.

She said that he should have stopped the acts of abuse perpetrated by Gaiyathiri and her mother. However, he also assaulted Ms Piang Ngaih Don while the two women were abusing her.


The judge added: “(His) actions in joining the assault were dehumanising.”

Chelvam was the last of three people to be convicted for abusing the Myanmar maid, who weighed a mere 24kg when she died in 2016. She weighed 39kg when she started working for Chelvam’s family on May 28, 2015.

He has been suspended from the Singapore Police Force since August 2016. Chelvam and Gaiyathiri divorced in 2020.

In 2021, Gaiyathiri, then 41, was sentenced to 30 years in prison, the longest jail term meted out here in a maid abuse case.

Two years later, her mother, Prema S. Naraynasamy, then 64, was sentenced to 17 years’ jail over her role in the case. Both women had pleaded guilty to their charges.


Ms Piang Ngaih Don had not been given sufficient food for at least 35 days.


When she died, she had a body mass index of only 11.3, far from the healthy range of between 18.5 and 22.9.

In earlier proceedings, the judge said Chelvam chose not to intervene despite knowing Gaiyathiri was starving the maid, who stole and ate salt and seasoning to quell her hunger.

Doctors who had testified at Chelvam’s trial said

the maid’s limbs looked like they were just skin wrapping bone.

They told the court she had a body mass index similar to someone suffering from advanced cancer or from extensive tuberculosis.


Ms Piang Ngaih Don died of brain injury on July 26, 2016, with severe blunt trauma to her neck after 14 months of repeated abuse. She was working outside of Myanmar for the first time.

Deputy public prosecutors Sean Teh, Stephanie Koh, and Cheronne Lim said there were CCTV cameras in the flat to monitor Ms Piang Ngaih Don and the couple’s two children, aged one and four at the time.

Investigators retrieved 35 days’ worth of footage, recorded between June 21 and July 26 in 2016, which showed her being burned with a heated iron, choked, shaken violently, punched, kicked and stomped on.

For 11 consecutive nights from July 15, 2016, Gaiyathiri tied one of the maid’s hands with string to a window grille at night as the younger woman slept on the bedroom floor.

CCTV footage recorded on June 24 that year showed Chelvam grabbing the maid by her hair and lifting her off the ground.

It was Gaiyathiri who starved Ms Piang Ngaih Don, with Chelvam failing to ensure she was adequately fed.

Prosecutors had said Chelvam feigned ignorance and blamed his former wife.

The DPPs added: “By his inaction, (he) abetted Gaiyathiri’s continued starvation of the deceased.

“(The domestic helper) had irregular mealtimes, often had only two meals a day, and an entire meal sometimes comprised nothing more than sliced bread soaked in water, and callously left for her by the kitchen sink.”

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Kevin Chelvam leaving State Courts on July 26, 2023.

PHOTO: ST FILE

On the day she died, Gaiyathiri and Prema assaulted her from 11.40pm on July 25, 2016, to around 5am the next day.

Gaiyathiri contacted a doctor between 9.30am and 9.45am when Ms Piang Ngaih Don remained motionless on the bedroom floor.

The doctor found the maid dead and told the women to alert the police. Gaiyathiri contacted her husband, who returned home at around 11.20am.

Paramedics pronounced the maid dead at 11.30am.

Inside the master bedroom, Prema told Chelvam to dismantle the CCTV recorder, including the hard disk drive, from the power source. He did so and handed the recorder to her.

The police were still in the flat in the afternoon when Prema’s daughter-in-law arrived to take care of the children.

Prema slipped the recorder into the woman’s handbag without her knowledge, and told the latter in Tamil: “I have kept something in your bag; do something with it.”

The daughter-in-law then left the flat with her handbag.

After 3.30pm, a police officer noticed there were CCTV cameras in the home.


The DPPs said Chelvam lied that he had removed the CCTV recorder six months ago at his tenant’s request.

But the couple’s four-year-old daughter told the police she had seen CCTV recordings on Gaiyathiri’s phone the day before.

Chelvam admitted he had handed the recorder to Prema, and the police recovered it that evening.

On July 17, defence lawyer Pratap Kishan asked the court to be more compassionate towards his client, adding: “He’s lost nine years of his life. His life has come to a standstill.”

Chelvam’s bail has been set at $25,000, and he is expected to begin serving his sentence on July 31.
 
Based on feedback from other maids, my helper says that most of them prefer not to work for Indian employers in SG. The reasons are that they are more likely to have payment of their wages delayed or unreasonably deducted for frivolous reasons, not have enough to eat, be scolded often and ill-treated.
 
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