Corpun file 26637 at www.corpun.com
The New Paper, Singapore, 1 November 2017
Man gets jail, cane for offences including molest and theft
Goh Wei Rong. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
He was a driver on car-pooling app SwiftBack when a 21-year-old woman engaged his services to take her home.
But Goh Wei Rong, now 24, molested her when they reached her neighbourhood at around 5.40am on April 2 last year.
District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan found him guilty of the offence on Oct 16 following a three-day trial.
Goh also pleaded guilty to three traffic offences and one count each of theft and housebreaking. Four other charges for similar offences were taken into consideration during sentencing. Yesterday, he was given jail time of five years and eight weeks and six strokes of the cane.
During the trial, the woman testified that Goh drove to her destination and she was about to get out of the front passenger seat when he grabbed her wrists and shoulder to restrain her. According to the prosecution's submissions, she tried to free herself but he pulled her back.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Agnes Chan said that Goh pinned the woman to the seat and molested her before he settled back into the driver's seat. The victim managed to pull free, unlock the car door and run home.
The court heard that prior to this incident, Goh had committed a traffic offence and was disqualified from driving for a year until April 21 last year.
Despite this, he drove on two occasions -- once on March 11, and when he picked up his victim.
Separately, Goh stole $13,440 worth of items from a bridal company last April and broke into his former workplace at an Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 food court and made off with cash totalling $40,542.30 in September.-- THE STRAITS TIMES
Copyright © 2017 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn No. 198402868E
Corpun file 26639 at www.corpun.com
Today, Singapore, 3 November 2017
Company director first to face caning for illegal importation of labour
By Cynthia Choo
SINGAPORE -- A 33-year-old company director has become the first man to be sentenced to caning for offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.
Goh Eng Kiat was sentenced to 45 months' jail and five strokes of the cane on Friday (Nov 3) for fraudulently obtaining work passes for 30 foreign workers under the guise that the workers would be working for his company, Jasper Contractors.
Goh will serve an additional five months in jail as he was unable to pay a S$75,000 penalty for the proceeds of his crimes. He has been permanently barred from employing foreign workers, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in a media statement.
Goh had falsely declared to the MOM that the foreign workers would be employed by his company as construction workers. He managed to fraudulently obtain work passes for 117 foreign workers between Nov 2013 and March 2014.
The workers were subsequently released to find their own employment and he received S$292,500 from them -- the largest amount received by an offender involving illegal importation of labour so far.
Goh was charged with a total of 117 charges for illegal importation of labour between November 2013 and March 2014.
The prosecution proceeded with 30 charges and the remaining 87 charges were taken into consideration for sentencing. Goh is also facing another charge under the Bankruptcy Act.
Mr Kandhavel Periyasamy, director of the employment inspectorate at MOM's Foreign Manpower Management Division, said: "This is the first illegal labour importation case that the court has imposed a caning sentence. We want to remind individuals that illegal labour importation is a serious offence, and we will take strong enforcement action against individuals who commit this offence."
In the last two years, 13 people have been convicted for illegal importation of labour.
In September, 51-year old S Vijaya Raj was sentenced to 30 months' imprisonment for six charges of illegal labour importation.
In another case, Poh Kwi Ko, the director of Aik Heng Contracts and Services was charged with the illegal importation of labour and the collection of kickbacks. The 42-year-old had allegedly obtained work passes for 10 foreign workers, even though she knew there was no work for them.
The MOM warned that it is an offence to obtain work passes for foreign employees for a business that does not exist and failing to provide work for the employees.
Perpetrators face six months or more in jail and a fine of up to S$6,000 for each offence and if convicted for six or more charges, caning will be imposed.
The Ministry added that foreign workers who find themselves released without a job after obtaining a work pass should not work illegally by looking for employment on their own. They should immediately report the matter to MOM and seek help.
Corpun file 26644 at www.corpun.com
The Straits Times, Singapore, 16 November 2017
Car washer gets five years' corrective training and rotan for targeting two pregnant women
Muhammad Noh Mohammad Jais was given the minimum five years' corrective training and six strokes of the cane for attempted snatch theft and using threatening behaviour with intent to cause alarm. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
By Elena Chong
Court Correspondent
SINGAPORE -- Within five months of his release from prison, Muhammad Noh Mohammad Jais tried his luck again by preying on two pregnant women.
On Thursday (Nov 16), the 31-year-old car washer was given the minimum five years' corrective training and six strokes of the cane for attempted snatch theft and using threatening behaviour with intent to cause alarm.
He pleaded guilty on Oct 10 to attempted snatch theft of a purse containing a credit card and $130 cash from housewife Aye Khin, 42, who was eight months pregnant, as well as using threatening behaviour towards a Filipina, who was five months pregnant.
A corrective training suitability report was called. Corrective training is a prison regime for repeat offenders without the usual one-third remission for good behaviour. The maximum period is 14 years.
The court heard that Muhammad Noh was loitering around a market at Block 58, Bedok South Avenue 2 on April 27 when he saw the pregnant Myanmar national walking along a sheltered walkway.
He followed her as he wanted to snatch her wallet tucked underneath her armpit while she was carrying her bags of groceries.
At the ground floor of her block, he followed her into the lift and stood behind her without pressing a button for any floor.
When Madam Aye Khin got out, he followed her and suddenly tried to snatch her wallet but she tightened her grip on her wallet.
When she turned around and shouted for help, Muhammad Noh pushed her in the abdomen before fleeing down the stairs towards Bedok Mall.
Madam Aye Khin did not seek any medical attention after the incident.
At about 5.30pm on the same day, Muhammad Noh spotted Filipina Jarina Ritcheal Caranza, 37, and tailed her all the way to a block in Bedok South Avenue 1. He entered the lift after her and stood by the handicap lift button panel without selecting a button for any floor.
Ms Caranza felt suspicious as she had never seen him on her floor before.
After she exited the lift, he first walked towards the staircase before following her to her flat. She asked him whether he was following her and why he was on that floor.
Muhammad Noh extended his left hand towards her and said: "Give me money." She quickly pushed her main door open and shouted to her family members for help. Muhammad Noh ran away and fled down the staircase.
He was arrested two days later at Tampines MRT station.
He had previous convictions for robbery in 2010. In 2013, he was sentenced to six years' jail and caning for theft and attempted robbery. He was released at the end of 2016.
District Judge Samuel Chua, who agreed that a sentence of corrective training was appropriate in this case, told Muhammad Noh that he was not deterred from his previous jail term and caning, and had re-offended within five months of his release.
Copyright © 2018 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All rights reserved
