23-05-2025
Six men to be charged in separate child sexual exploitation cases in Singapore
SINGAPORE: ix men will be charged in court on 23 May 2025 for alleged involvement in various child sexual exploitation offences.
The men, aged between 22 and 41, were arrested in separate incidents, according to a police statement issued on 22 May.
The suspects were apprehended by officers from the specialised crime branch of the Criminal Investigation Department.
Their alleged offences include engaging minors for sex and possessing child sexual abuse material.
One of the accused, aged 37, is alleged to have engaged a young female victim for sex after befriending her online.
He reportedly performed sexual acts on the girl and was arrested on 25 March 2025.
He faces one count of commercial sex with a minor under 18 and another count for communicating with a minor under 18 for the purpose of obtaining sexual services.
In another case, a 25-year-old man was arrested on 5 July 2024 for allegedly engaging a young girl for commercial sex. He had also made contact with the minor through online means.
He is expected to be charged with eight counts of sexual penetration of a minor under 16.
A separate incident involved a 22-year-old man arrested on 5 March 2024. He allegedly possessed child sexual abuse material and obscene films found on his mobile phone and computer.
He will face one count each for possession of child abuse material and possession of obscene films.
Additionally, three men aged 30, 35 and 41 were arrested on 14 March 2023, 18 March 2024, and 22 March 2023 respectively.
All three allegedly possessed child sexual abuse material stored on mobile phones, storage devices and computers. Each will be charged with one count of possession of child abuse material.
In the statement, the police stressed their zero-tolerance stance on such crimes, stating: 'The police take a serious view of child sexual exploitation and abuse and will spare no effort to protect children from such harm.'
Under Singapore law, individuals convicted of having sex with minors aged 14 to 16 may be jailed for up to 10 years, and may also be fined or caned.
Engaging the sexual services of a person below 18 can result in up to seven years' imprisonment, a fine, or both.
Possessing or accessing child abuse material carries a penalty of up to five years' imprisonment, and may also include a fine or caning.
Possession of obscene films is punishable with up to six months' imprisonment, a fine of up to S$20,000, or both.
Separately, on 19 May, Ian Fang, a 35-year-old former Mediacorp actor educated in Singapore, was sentenced to 40 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to sexual offences involving a minor under the age of 16.
The Shanghai-born permanent resident (PR) committed the offences in 2024 while employed as an acting instructor at a child modelling school catering to students aged four to 14.
He met the victim earlier that year at an entertainment event. A gag order remains in place to protect the identity of the victim.
On 21 May, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) stated that it is reviewing Fang's PR status following his conviction for serious sexual offences.
