Man overstayed in Singapore for 2,394 days, cheated 14 people of S$10,450 in rental scams
SINGAPORE — A 40-year-old man who overstayed in Singapore for 2,394 days, or more than six years, and cheated his compatriots from Malaysia in a rental scam has been sentenced to 14 months’ jail and three strokes of the cane.
On Monday (June 6), Er Chern Siew pleaded guilty to a total of seven charges — six related to cheating and a single immigration charge.
Ten other similar charges were taken into consideration for Er’s sentencing, which was backdated to Oct 16 last year, the date of his remand.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Gabriel Choong said that Er, who was arrested on Oct 14 last year, first entered Singapore through the Woodlands Checkpoint by bus on May 13 in 2015.
He remained in Singapore even after his visit pass — which granted him permission to be in the country for only 14 days — had expired.
To sustain himself, Er found a job as a salesman and as an estate agent, even though he was not licensed under the Estate Agents Act, DPP Choong said.
