SINGAPORE — A 31-year-old man was charged today (June 17) with setting a Toh Guan Road flat on fire for an unlicensed moneylender.

Mohamed Ashyik Mohamed Shawal allegedly acted on behalf of an unlicensed moneylender named “Denzel” to cause annoyance to an occupant of a 12th floor flat at Block 272 Toh Guan Road five days ago. This was in connection with an illegal loan taken by an occupant one storey below the unit set on fire.

Ashyik is also said to have used a black marker to write O$P$ on the 12th floor lift landing.

He is believed to be involved in more than 10 cases of loanshark harassment, with at least five cases involving fire, a police statement yesterday said. He will be remanded for one week.

The accused asked to go to the Institute of Mental Health but was not allowed by the court. His case will be heard again next week.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in jail, a fine of S$5,000 to S$50,000, and three to six strokes of the cane.