PP v Loke Kim Eng
DAC 18368/2002 & Ors
81 charges of misappropriating cash totalling S$209,380, US$2,174 and RMB34,500 — Four counts
of cheating and four counts of obtaining credit whilst an undischarged bankrupt — Victims were
young foreign students — Pleaded guilty — Antecedents
Facts: Offender pleaded guilty to 14 charges of CBT, four counts of cheating under s 420 and two
counts of obtaining credit whilst being an undischarged bankrupt under s 141(1)(a) of the Bankruptcy
Act. 67 charges of CBT, two charges under s 141(1)(a) of the Bankruptcy Act and one offence of
failing to report change of residence under s 13(1)(b) of the National Registration Act were taken into
consideration. Over a period of six months, the offender misappropriated S$209,380, US$2,174 and
RMB34,500 obtained from 81 young foreign students from the Peoples’ Republic of China and Japan.
These students had entrusted the offender with their monies as advance rental payments, rental
deposits, for school and course enrolments, as donations to support their applications to schools as well
as monies for security bonds. The total amount which she cheated the victims of was $10,700 and she
borrowed S$27,400, US$600 and RMB4,000 without disclosing that she was an undischarged bankrupt.
The total amount involved for all the charges was S$247,480, US$2,774 and RMB38,500. The offender
was aged 34 years old with four young children. In 1998, the offender received 12 months and ten
weeks’ imprisonment for three cheating offences.
Sentence imposed by trial court: Three to 18 months’ imprisonment on the 20 charges, with five
sentences ordered to run consecutively. Total of 72 months’ imprisonment. There was no appeal against
sentence.