Man with upper respiratory tract infection unlawfully left home for tattooing session
SINGAPORE - A man who was issued a medical certificate (MC) after he was diagnosed with acute upper respiratory tract infection in a clinic last December decided to skip his Covid-19 swab test and took a bus home. Instead of staying indoors the next day, Tan Fu Yu left his Ang Mo Kio flat and took a private-hire car to a Sin Ming Road tattoo studio to get his chest inked. Tan went for a polymerase chain reaction test for Covid-19 only on Sept 19 this year and tested negative for it. Court documents did not disclose why he took the test about nine months after receiving the MC last December. On Friday (Nov 26), the 20-year-old Singaporean pleaded guilty in a district court to leaving his home without a reasonable excuse despite being given a relevant MC. Deputy Public Prosecutor Jane Lim said that Tan went to Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic at around 3pm on Dec 8 last year to seek treatment for a dry cough and an itchy throat. A doctor later diagnosed him as having an acute upper respiratory tract infection and told him to undergo a swab test for Covid-19. The doctor also issued Tan with an MC, excusing him from work or school for three days. The MC also stated that Tan was required by law to...
Man’s digital wallet wiped out after he left crypto trading to robot
SINGAPORE - "Buy low, sell high" was a strategy that worked a treat for Derrick when he started trading in cryptocurrency two years ago, so he saw no reason to fix what was not broken. It was so straightforward, in fact, that Derrick, as he wants to be known, left the trading to be carried out by a trading robot - a software that automates the cryptocurrency trading process. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.
ITE murder: Retiree who stabbed ex-wife sentenced to life imprisonment
SINGAPORE - A retiree who stabbed his former wife to death in a carpark at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College Central campus was sentenced to life imprisonment on Wednesday (Sept 22). Seet Cher Hng was convicted of a reduced murder charge last week, after he indicated that he would not be contesting the charge. The 69-year-old had been demanding money from his former wife, Ms Low Hwee Geok, 56, before the incident. He believed the money was due to him after their divorce. The High Court heard that he had even engraved on a knife dates on which he believed he had caught her having an affair. The knife was one of three that he took along with him when he ambushed Ms Low at the Ang Mo Kio campus and confronted her inside her car at about 7.30pm on July 19, 2018. A struggle ensued and as she tried to get away from him, he stabbed her eight times. He then stabbed himself 13 times on his upper torso and collapsed on top of her. It was revealed in court that he told passers-by "let me die, don't save me". A forensic pathologist said each of the three wounds to Ms Low's left upper chest, left mid-back and left lower back was sufficient to cause death. He was initially charg...
This former banker is on a mission to make investing more accessible for S’poreans in volatile times
When global stocks started to fall in February last year due to news about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, social media and online discussion boards were flooded with questions and comments from anxious retail investors, including retirees. To address common concerns, the founding team of Endowus quickly put together a series of educational webinars to help Singaporeans understand the volatile nature of financial markets. Through the webinars hosted on YouTube, investors learnt about market risks, the importance of having a well-diversified portfolio and the difference between speculating and investing, says chief executive Gregory Van. As demand for these sessions grew, the founding team, whose members previously worked for global banks such as UBS, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, tapped into their network. They engaged fund managers, financial bloggers and experts to not just break down and explain advanced investing concepts, but also share insights and knowledge with investors of varying experience, from first-timers to veterans. Many Singaporeans are looking for ways to supplement their income, save for retirement, grow their wealth and keep up with inflation. Yet, not ...
Five months’ jail for man who was supervisor during 2018 workplace accident that left worker paralysed
SINGAPORE - A man who was the supervisor during a 2018 workplace accident that left a worker paralysed from the waist down has been sentenced to five months' jail. Lua Hua Keong, 66, who was with Lua Chan Electrical and Construction Contractors at that time, was in court on Thursday (March 25) after his conviction in January of a negligent act that endangered the safety of his workers, including Mr Ye Ko Ko. The accident occurred on Feb 3, 2018, while workers from Lua Chan - including Mr Ye - were erecting part of a dome-shaped tent at a field in Ang Mo Kio. Lua was the supervisor in charge of the 14-member team at that time. Mr Ye and two other workers were supporting a part of an arched frame structure when it was being lifted manually to an upright position. The structure collapsed when another part of it suddenly slipped, and Mr Ye was struck on the head. He became unconscious and was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Court documents state that the accident left Mr Ye with spinal injuries. He became paralysed waist down with his upper limbs severely weakened, and is now wheelchair dependent. It was revealed that a proper risk assessment was not conducted before work started at t...
Woman convicted of abusing Myanmar maid, who was left with bruises and hearing loss
SINGAPORE - A 51-year-old woman was on Friday (Feb 26) convicted of two counts of abusing her maid, in attacks which left the Myanmar national with bruises and the loss of hearing in her left ear. Both incidents occurred in 2017 at Gayathri Iyer's home at the Pebble Bay condominium in Tanjong Rhu Road. District Judge Tan Jen Tse convicted the Singaporean of two maid abuse charges after a trial. She was, however, acquitted of two other counts of maid abuse as the judge found that the maid's evidence in these instances had not been "unusually convincing". Gayathri is represented by lawyer Amarjit Singh Sidhu and her bail was set at $15,000. She will be sentenced on March 17. For each count of assaulting a maid, an offender can be jailed for up to three years and fined up to $7,500. More on this topic Related Story Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid: Govt to review 3 areas to ensure it doesn't happen again Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories Correction note: An earlier version of this story had the wrong picture of the offender. This has been removed. We are sorry for the error.
2 years’ probation for teen who bit cop and also caused spinal cord injury
SINGAPORE - A youth who left a policeman with a spinal cord injury and superficial bite wounds was on Tuesday (Jan 5) sentenced to two years' probation. As part of his probation, the 17-year-old drug offender has to remain indoors from 10pm to 6am every day and perform 80 hours of community service. He also has to undergo regular urine tests. The teenager cannot be named as those under 18 are covered under the Children and Young Persons Act. The offender had pleaded guilty in a district court on Nov 19 last year to one count each of causing grievous hurt to a public servant and methamphetamine consumption. The victim - a full-time national serviceman - and his colleague were conducting foot patrol at Block 90 Redhill Close at around 2pm on Aug 5 last year when they entered a lift on the seventh storey, which was occupied by the offender and his cousin. Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Hsiao Tien had disclosed in earlier proceedings that the officers decided to search the occupants when they noticed the two appeared nervous and had bloodshot eyes. A small brown box the cousin was holding was found to contain drug-taking utensils. When they arrived at the ground floor of the block, the v...
Nelson Loh said to have left Singapore as police probe firm
Mr Nelson Loh, 40, co-founder of Novena Global Healthcare Group (NGHG) which is under police investigations, has left Singapore, said his cousin and former business partner Terence Loh. This came in a statement yesterday from Mr Terence Loh, 43, in response to an application by DBS Bank to wind up NGHG subsidiary Novena Global Healthcare. "Perhaps more than anyone else, I feel deeply betrayed by Nelson, who has left Singapore and appears to have no intention to sort out this terrible mess we are left with." The Straits Times understands from sources that Mr Nelson Loh is in China. The Singapore Police Force said it is unable to confirm whether Mr Nelson Loh has left the country, while the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority said it cannot discuss the details of individual cases for reasons of confidentiality. On Tuesday, DBS had applied to the High Court to wind up Novena Global Healthcare, which is believed to owe the bank millions of dollars. The application will be heard on Dec 11 and the subsidiary faces possible liquidation if the court agrees. The Singapore subsidiary of the Cayman Islands-incorporated group also faces further enforcement action from the Accounting and Corp...
Lawyer who left Singapore after $33m went missing faces 14 more charges involving $17m
SINGAPORE - A lawyer who left Singapore after more than $33 million parked at his firm went missing has been issued with 19 new charges. Jeffrey Ong Su Aun was charged on Tuesday (Oct 20) with 14 counts of criminal breach of trust as an attorney involving more than $17.4 million, as well as five counts of cheating. In a statement, police said that the 43-year-old Singaporean now faces 76 charges in all. In total, Ong is implicated in a case involving more than $75 million. This is a greater sum than the $50 million in church funds that six City Harvest church leaders were found guilty of misusing in 2015. Ong was the managing partner of law firm JLC Advisors when more than $33 million held in escrow in the firm for a client, Allied Technologies, went missing. Escrow is an essential service in capital markets that supports transactions such as mergers and acquisitions. His latest charges regarding criminal breach of trust as an attorney involve more than $17.4 million that was held in escrow by JLC Advisors for the firm CW Group Holdings, which is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. He is accused of misappropriating the monies in 2015 and 2016, and is said to have largely engage...