Cabby jailed 10 months for ferrying loanshark runner
Published on Dec 22, 2011
A taxi driver with ComfortDelGro had a lucrative sideline ferrying a loanshark runner on his rounds of harassing debtors. Koh Liap Huah (above), 51, was paid $150 for each day he was booked by Goh Wee Kian. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
By Khushwant Singh
A taxi driver with ComfortDelGro had a lucrative sideline ferrying a loanshark runner on his rounds of harassing debtors. Koh Liap Huah, 51, was paid $150 for each day he was booked by Goh Wee Kian.
The deal came to an abrupt end on June 8 after Goh, 24, was detained by residents for harassing a debtor in Bedok South Avenue 3. Police were summoned and they also arrested Koh, who was waiting downstairs in his taxi.
Koh pleaded guilty on Thursday to abetting in the harassment of debtors and was jailed for 10 months. A district court heard that the police found nine cans of paint in a plastic bag near the front passenger seat and another six cans of paint in the boot.
There was also a list of several addresses believed to be of debtors. Koh admitted that these items belonged to Goh and had been left in his taxi with his consent.
Court documents indicate that Goh, an odd-job worker, went to work for an unlicensed moneylender by the name of 'Coke' in May as he was unable to repay his loan. He received $80 for every flat he harassed.
Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
