Latest from Singapore Law Watch
Singapore Law Watch
3 days ago
- Business
- Singapore Law Watch
Fine for company director who played role in collecting $112k in kickbacks from migrant workers
Fine for company director who played role in collecting $112k in kickbacks from migrant workers Source: Straits Times Article Date: 25 Jul 2025 Author: Samuel Devaraj A company director has been fined after he admitted to playing a role in collecting $112,400 in kickbacks from migrant workers as a condition for renewing their work passes in December 2020. A company director has been fined after he admitted to playing a role in collecting $112,400 in kickbacks from migrant workers as a condition for renewing their work passes in December 2020. On July 24, Loo Kim Huat was fined $90,000 and also ordered to pay a penalty of $42,000, after he pleaded guilty to six charges under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. Another 12 similar charges were taken into consideration during sentencing. According to a press release from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Loo, 68, was the director and group head of conservancy at WIS Holdings, which manages Weishen Industrial Services, a company providing estate cleaning and maintenance services for town councils. He had conspired with four others in the collection of kickbacks from 18 employees of Weishen as a condition for renewing their work passes. The illicit payments ranged from $900 to $7,000 for each worker. His four co-conspirators were Lim Choong Seng, a former site manager at Weishen; conservancy workers Kabir Mohammad Humayun and Robel; and Kamaruzzaman, an employment agent based in Bangladesh. According to court documents, the 18 foreign employees were primarily conservancy workers deployed to perform estate cleaning and maintenance services for town councils. The scheme which had been ongoing for four to five years before December 2020 originated from Kamaruzzaman, who was responsible for bringing in Bangladeshi nationals to work in Singapore at Weishen. Kamaruzzaman instructed Lim, Kabir, Robel and Kamaruzzaman's relatives in Singapore to collect the employment kickbacks from foreign employees whose work permits were applied for under Weishen. After the employment kickback monies were collected by Kabir and Robel, they would be handed to Lim, and then to Loo. Loo, who was Lim's direct superior, would pay Lim $300 for every kickback collected from each foreign employee. Loo and Lim would decide which foreign workers' work passes to renew, providing positive feedback to Weishen's human resources department for only the foreign employees who had paid the kickbacks. After receiving information on possible contravention of the laws under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, MOM employment inspectors carried out investigations into Weishen on Dec 8, 2020. MOM said Lim was convicted in August 2024 and fined $84,000 while Kabir's case is still pending before the court. According to court documents, Robel remains at large. An MOM prosecutor told the court on July 24 that Kamaruzzaman, who operated from Bangladesh, remained outside of Singapore's jurisdiction the last time the ministry checked. Loo has paid a total of $83,050 as restitution to the affected migrant workers. Nine of the workers have returned home; the other nine are working in Singapore, with three employed at Weishen, MOM said. Those who are found to have collected kickbacks can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $30,000, or both. Migrant workers who suspect that they are being asked to give kickbacks can seek help by calling MOM at 6438-5122, or the Migrant Workers' Centre at 6536-2692. MOM said members of the public who are aware of suspicious employment activities, or know of people or employers who contravene the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, should report the matter to the ministry on its website. All information will be kept strictly confidential, it said. An anonymous complaint led to 24 weeks' jail for a former operations manager of a conservancy company, who oversaw estate cleaners in Nee Soon East and Pasir Ris-Punggol. Derrick Ho had collected $396,440 from 57 Bangladeshi workers from 2014 to 2020 for the renewal of their work permits, in one of the largest cases of kickbacks that MOM has investigated to date. He was sentenced in November 2024. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
Singapore Law Watch
3 days ago
- Singapore Law Watch
New efforts introduced to support ex-offenders' rehabilitation, lower recidivism rate
New efforts introduced to support ex-offenders' rehabilitation, lower recidivism rate Source: Straits Times Article Date: 25 Jul 2025 Author: Syarafana Shafeeq The new framework for the Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders (Care) Network will guide the sector towards reducing recidivism among ex-offenders. To better support ex-offenders to ease back into society, the workers who help them will be moved across organisations to share expertise, said Law Minister Edwin Tong on July 24. The aftercare support sector will widen its network of partners, too. These steps, along with assessing needs and reducing programme overlap, are part of new efforts to improve care for ex-offenders in the next five years. The new framework for the Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders (Care) Network will guide the sector towards reducing recidivism among ex-offenders. Singapore's two-year recidivism rate has fallen from 40.1 per cent in 2000 to 21.3 per cent for the 2022 cohort, which is among the lowest globally. Recidivism refers to the tendency of an ex-inmate to reoffend. The five-year rate for the 2019 cohort was 36.6 per cent, marking the third straight year it has stayed below 40 per cent. This is partly due to the collective work of the Care Network, which comprises agencies that support this work, said Mr Tong. He was speaking at the Care Network Summit and Correctional Practice and Research Symposium on July 24 at Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay. The network was set up in 2000 to encourage partners who provide aftercare and other services for inmates, ex-offenders and their families to work together. Previously, agencies worked in isolation and were largely uncoordinated, said Mr Tong, who is also Second Minister for Home Affairs. Today, the network has 10 core members and more than 170 community partners. These include Yellow Ribbon Singapore, Singapore After-Care Association and Life Community Services Society. Mr Tong said that Singapore is often seen as a country with tough laws and a strict system, but it is equally invested and puts a lot of weight on aftercare, integration and rehabilitation of ex-offenders. The Care Network, which marks its 25th anniversary in 2025, wants to put in place more cross-sector mentorship programmes, allowing officers from the Singapore Prison Service and staff from community partners to be seconded to different organisations to share knowledge and best practices. A steering committee will also look into the best ways to optimise resources and assess whether some initiatives should make changes to better meet beneficiaries' needs. New partnerships will also be fostered to expand support and opportunities. For instance, in 2024, the Industrial and Services Co-operative Society Limited teamed up with the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants to offer financial literacy workshops for ex-offenders and their families. In his speech, Mr Tong said that the network has strengthened volunteer training, with 40 courses now available in areas like family work, managing addiction, and restorative practice. The network now has more than 4,000 volunteers. Throughcare support for inmates, which refers to the support provided to individuals both during and after their time in custody, has also improved over the years. In 2019, SPS introduced the Throughcare Volunteer Framework, which allows volunteers who have been supporting inmates to continue to do so after they have been released. The initiative now has more than 1,900 volunteers supporting ex-offenders. SPS launched the Desistor Network in 2023 to give ex-offenders a platform to give back and help others turn away from a life of crime and drugs. Currently, more than 100 desistors volunteer their time to support and share their experiences with inmates and other ex-offenders. One of them is 38-year-old Nur Azlina Zulkifli, who began using drugs at 12 and continued doing so for over a decade. In 2012, at the age of 25, she was caught by the authorities and sent to the Drug Rehabilitation Centre. She relapsed in 2019 and was detained again. 'I think the reason I relapsed was because I did not have a support system when I was first released. My parents are conservative and strict, and I did not talk to anyone else about it because I felt ashamed,' she said. After her second incarceration, she realised she needed more support to help her work through the emotional struggles of kicking an addiction. She joined a community programme by the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (Sana), and continued to volunteer there after completing it, to help other ex-offenders. Ms Azlina, who works as a senior project manager now, started her own peer support group for ex-offenders, named Ultimate Friends SG, in 2024. She visits halfway houses and liaises with other organisations to look for ex-offenders who may be interested in joining the group. There were 60 people in the group as at July, up from 10 when it was started. 'I think having support like this can really affect whether someone chooses to reoffend,' she said. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
Singapore Law Watch
5 days ago
- Singapore Law Watch
Youth Courts will take a new approach to cases, focused on underlying issues and supporting needs
Youth Courts will take a new approach to cases, focused on underlying issues and supporting needs Source: Straits Times Article Date: 24 Jul 2025 Author: Theresa Tan Aim is for one-time intervention that sets young people on new and better path. A new approach, which focuses on addressing the issues that underlie why a person ends up in court, will be used to manage young offenders and other cases in the Youth Courts. The Family Justice Courts (FJC) will assign a dedicated multidisciplinary team – such as the same judge and the same counsellor or psychologist – to manage selected cases from start to end, under the therapeutic justice approach. This would give the team a deeper understanding of each case and the issues involved, build trust and provide more holistic support to the individuals or families involved. Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon announced this on July 23 at the official opening of the FJC building, which was officiated by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. The FJC – which comprise the Family Division of the High Court, the Family Courts and the Youth Courts – have moved into the iconic octagonal building in Havelock Square that once housed the State Courts. The therapeutic justice approach is already used for divorce cases, where the focus is on problem-solving and helping parents manage conflict and co-parent, instead of the prior adversarial approach. Chief Justice Menon said the same principles will guide Youth Courts cases: 'In this paradigm, underlying issues that shape a young person's behaviour and circumstances should be identified and addressed together with the legal issues before the court whenever possible.' He said: 'Children and young persons deserve nothing less than a supportive system that keeps them safe, addresses their underlying needs and sets them on a path towards a better future – whether the presenting issue is criminal conduct, family conflict or parental neglect.' Besides youth offenders' cases, the Youth Courts also hear applications for the care and protection of children, such as those who have been abused by their parents. In 2024, there were 882 cases in the Youth Courts. The Chief Justice said that multidisciplinary teams from both the Family and Youth courts will aim to work together if a family has concurrent proceedings in both courts to provide a more coordinated response to the family's needs. He said: 'Such a collective approach will promote shared understanding between teams, facilitate exchanges on any safety or risk concerns, and encourage timely referrals to therapeutic support services, all while ensuring that the confidentiality of information is not compromised.' The Youth Courts will explore the use of a new tool – a Visionary Map – to guide youth offenders through structured reflection on their past choices and encourage change. Chief Justice Menon said the Youth Courts will adopt a 'whole of community' approach where the courts, parents, social workers, educators and community partners will come together to support each young person. For example, the FJC will explore ways to identify students who are not in school – for example, those suspended or expelled – and work with different partners to help them return to school. Chief Justice Menon said the therapeutic justice principles will complement existing practices at the Youth Courts, which are already centred on rehabilitation. He said: 'In the future that we are striving to create, every child or young person who enters our justice system should leave with the tools that will ensure that they need never come back. 'Our aim is not to be a revolving door, but a one-time intervention that sets a life on a new and better path.' In response to queries about when these new measures will take effect, a Singapore Courts spokesperson told The Straits Times that some, like the Visionary Map, have been piloted. They will also work with other groups to expand the pilot phase of its 'whole-of-community' approach. They will soon be deploying multidisciplinary teams to handle selected cases in the Youth Courts, adding that more details will be released in due course. Lawyer Josephus Tan, a panel adviser to the Youth Courts, said that currently young offenders may come before different judges and other professionals in court. He said: 'It can be very frightening for a child to go through the legal process, which can be very cold. So it's reassuring for the child to see familiar faces and the same team from start to end.' And if the child has a case pending at the Youth Courts, while his parents have another case at FJC, bringing both courts' multidisciplinary teams together helps them better understand the child's needs from multiple fronts. Turning to other cases, Chief Justice Menon said the FJC are now coming up with an online dispute resolution platform that could transform existing court processes and allow applications for maintenance to be resolved expediently. A key feature is an algorithm that suggests reasonable maintenance amounts for former wives, or for children. The Chief Justice said: 'The platform exemplifies a core principle of therapeutic justice – that families should be empowered to find their own solutions and resolve their disputes with minimal intervention by external adjudicators, but with as much access to relevant information as possible.' Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
Singapore Law Watch
5 days ago
- Singapore Law Watch
Judge asks prosecution for more information on Kpods in first case involving etomidate-laced vapes
Judge asks prosecution for more information on Kpods in first case involving etomidate-laced vapes Source: Straits Times Article Date: 24 Jul 2025 Author: Samuel Devaraj The court has directed the Health Sciences Authority to provide more information for sentencing, including a profile of end users. In the first prosecution involving etomidate-laced vapes, known as Kpods, the court has directed the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) to provide more information for sentencing, including a profile of end users. Mohammed Akil Abdul Rahim, 41, who is alleged to have made the Kpods at home with the intent to sell them, had been expected to plead guilty on July 23. The Singaporean, who is facing a total of eight charges, including two for selling and possession to sell etomidate under the Poisons Act in Yishun, is now scheduled to do so on Aug 11 after the case was adjourned for the prosecution to flesh out its sentencing submissions. In court on July 23, Deputy Principal District Judge Ong Chin Rhu noted that the prosecution had furnished a skeletal sentencing submission. She added that, given the novelty of the case and the fact that there are no precedents for the possession for sale of etomidate under the Poisons Act, time should be given for the prosecution to furnish a full version. This would include case law for a case of this nature, Judge Ong said. Apart from the profile of end users, she also asked for statistics on the rise of vapes containing etomidate in Singapore, which she said would better inform the court about their prevalence. She also asked for information about the effects of inhaling etomidate, noting that the prosecution had provided information on the consequences of its intravenous use. Etomidate is an anaesthetic agent used in clinical practice to induce sedation and is controlled under the Poisons Act. In a recent seizure of over 100 vapes, a third was found to contain etomidate. One of Akil's charges involved the possession for sale of 26.4g of white powder, which was analysed and found to contain etomidate. Judge Ong asked the prosecution about the significance of this amount of the substance. 'Is that a lot in the grand scheme of things,' she asked, in wanting to know how many vapes could be manufactured with this amount. The HSA prosecutor said the agency is proceeding on three of the seven charges under its purview and seeking between 12 and 15 months' jail for Akil. HSA is asking for eight to 10 months' jail for the charge involving the 26.4g white powder and four to five months' jail for a charge involving the possession for the purpose of sale of 2,588 components of items designed to resemble tobacco products. These included 569 pieces of empty pod casings, 534 pieces of pod components and 1,485 pieces of pod covers. The recommended sentences are to run consecutively, with two to three months' jail proposed for a third charge of selling 100 vape pods containing etomidate to run concurrently. Akil's eighth charge is under the Passports Act for making a false statement to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) while applying for a new Singapore passport. He allegedly lied on Jan 20 that he forgot his bag, which contained his NRIC and passport, at a coffee shop and that his passport was not returned to him. An ICA prosecutor said it would be seeking six to eight weeks' jail for the offence, which will run consecutively with HSA's proposed sentences. Akil maintained his wish to plead guilty, noting he did not want to waste anyone's time and wanted the matter to end so he could move on with his life. Questioning the prosecution's labelling of him as a flight risk, he said he had no intention of absconding and has two children and an ageing mother. He has been offered $20,000 bail, of which $5,000 needs to be in cash. Lowering the cash component would allow him to be released from remand so he can help his son prepare for his Primary School Leaving Examination, he said. The prosecution said it would not be seeking a variance in his bail amount. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on July 20 that the authorities are working to list etomidate under the Misuse of Drugs Act, paving the way for abusers and traffickers of Kpods to be treated in the same way as those who abuse or traffic drugs like nimetazepam, also known as Erimin-5, with mandatory rehabilitation and jail time for repeat offenders. Those who need help to quit vaping can join the Health Promotion Board's I Quit programme by calling the QuitLine on 1800-438-2000. Participants need not worry about being prosecuted, as it does not presume they are using or have used vaping products. But those caught using or possessing such items will be prosecuted. From July 21, HSA has extended the operating hours for its hotline to report vaping-related offences. The hotline now operates from 9am to 9pm daily, including on public holidays. HSA has also launched a new online portal to report vaping-related offences at If you have a story to share about vapes, e-mail us at [email protected] Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
Singapore Law Watch
5 days ago
- Business
- Singapore Law Watch
Warehouse owner and tenant sue each other over fire in 2020, judge awards landlord $814
Warehouse owner and tenant sue each other over fire in 2020, judge awards landlord $814 Source: Straits Times Article Date: 24 Jul 2025 Author: Selina Lum Landlord had sued for $600k; judge finds tenant's only breach was over stamp duty The owner of a Sungei Kadut warehouse that caught fire in May 2020 blamed its tenant for starting the fire, claiming more than $600,000 in damages in a lawsuit. The tenant, a scrap vehicle company, countersued for unspecified losses due to the fire, alleging that the fire hose reel in the warehouse malfunctioned because the landlord had failed to properly maintain it. The High Court dismissed both sides' claims, but ordered the tenant to reimburse $814 to the landlord for stamp duty under the tenancy agreement. On July 18, Judicial Commissioner Christopher Tan issued written grounds setting out the reasons for his decision. The judge said the landlord, Feida Bus Consortium, failed to show that the tenant, Royal Autoz Exporter, had breached any terms of the tenancy agreement, except for the clause on stamp duty. Feida Bus Consortium had alleged that the fire started when the tenant's employees carried out works either on or near a car at the warehouse – a claim the tenant denied. It sued Royal Autoz Exporter for alleged breach of contract and negligence. The judge said there was insufficient evidence to establish that the tenant's employees had been working in the warehouse at the time of the fire. In rejecting the tenant's counterclaim, the judge said there was evidence that the fire hose was working at the time. In any event, he said, there was no evidence that the landlord was obliged to maintain fire-fighting equipment in the warehouse. On May 23, 2020, a total of 19 emergency vehicles and about 100 firefighters were deployed to battle the blaze at 6 Sungei Kadut Way, a Facebook post by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) stated. The post said the SCDF was alerted to the fire at about 7pm that day and that the fire was put out at 9.15pm. According to the judgment, the two-storey warehouse was divided into sections, one of which was rented out to the defendant. The landlord, which provided chartered bus services and conducted vehicle repairs, occupied one section. Another section was used as a dormitory for workers employed by the landlord and its related companies. The landlord and the defendant entered into a tenancy agreement on March 24, 2020, which stipulated a monthly rent of $15,000. Barely two weeks later, 'circuit breaker' restrictions were implemented to curb the spread of Covid-19, and no work was supposed to be carried out in workshops and factories. On May 4, 2020, a deregistered 2.4-litre Chery Tiggo car was towed into the warehouse. On May 23, 2020, two of the tenant's employees were in the warehouse when the fire broke out. The tenant claimed they were there only to move vehicles into the warehouse. At about 6.30pm, one employee spotted flames underneath the Chery's engine and used a forklift to elevate the car. A resident of the dormitory pulled a fire hose from a reel in the warehouse. The tenant claimed that no water came out of the hose, but the landlord disputed this. Flammable liquid ignited as it leaked from the car. Despite various workers fighting the flames with fire extinguishers, the fire spread, forcing them to flee the warehouse. The fire damaged the tenant's stock of vehicles and spare parts. The landlord said various parts of the warehouse's structure were damaged. The building was ordered to be closed for about 18 months for repairs. SCDF conducted investigations and issued a report in September 2023. A forensic firm engaged by the landlord's fire insurance company prepared an expert report for the trial. The tenant, represented by Mr Palaniappan Sundararaj, engaged a fire investigation consultant as the defence expert. The judge noted that both experts, as well as SCDF, were unanimous in their view that the fire likely originated from the car. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, said the judge. The landlord, represented by Mr Thomas Toh, contended that the tenancy agreement prohibited the tenant from storing 'diesel' tanks in the warehouse. The judge said he saw no reason to extend this clause to tanks containing other types of fuel. The landlord also argued that by storing vehicles and a forklift on the premises, the defendant had breached a clause which stated that the warehouse was to be used for 'vehicle spare parts and body kit'. The judge said this clause did not prevent the tenant from using the warehouse for other purposes. He added that the landlord knew and consented to the tenant using the warehouse for scrapping vehicles. The landlord also argued that the tenant should have removed fuel from the vehicle before storing it in the warehouse, citing a clause that any chemical that is fire hazardous was to be stored in a safe corner. The judge disagreed that this meant the tenant was obliged to remove fuel from the vehicle. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
