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Condo security guard posed as policeman to extort S$10,000 from visitor, gets jail and caning

SINGAPORE —When Ganesan Gunasagaran spotted a man and woman leaving a common toilet in the condominium complex where he worked as a senior security officer, he accused the man of trespass.

Ganesan Gunasagaran (right) pleaded guilty to extortion, an offence committed while he was working as a security officer at Seahill condominium (left).

Ganesan Gunasagaran (right) pleaded guilty to extortion, an offence committed while he was working as a security officer at Seahill condominium (left).

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  • Ganesan Gunasagaran, a Malaysian, was working at Seahill condo 
  • He confronted a visitor for entering the premises without reporting to the guardhouse and checking in with the SafeEntry system
  • He threatened to investigate the visitor for illegal entry and for having sex in a common toilet
  • He then asked for S$10,000 to “settle” the matter, claiming he was a police officer

SINGAPORE —When Ganesan Gunasagaran spotted a man and woman leaving a common toilet in the condominium complex where he worked as a senior security officer, he accused the man of trespass.

The Japanese man fell for Ganesan’s allegation that he was an “undercover” officer with the “police licensing sector”, growing frightened by Ganesan’s claims that he would be charged and go to prison.

He then agreed to give Ganesan S$10,000 to delete closed-circuit television footage at the toilet.

While waiting for the money, Ganesan further claimed to have told other police officers about the victim purportedly entering illegally and having sex in the toilet.

However, the victim then filed a police report without handing over any cash.

On Thursday (April 21), Ganesan, a 33-year-old Malaysian, was sentenced to two years and three months’ jail as well as three strokes of the cane.

He pleaded guilty to extortion, with another two charges of attempting to receive gratification and posing as a police officer taken into consideration for sentencing.

The court heard that the incident took place at Seahill condominium along West Coast Crescent last year. Ganesan was deployed there while working for Metropolis Security Systems.

Around 9pm on Oct 19, the victim, a 29-year-old Japanese man who worked as a teacher, visited his fellow teacher — a 26-year-old Japanese woman — who lived there.

He entered the premises without reporting to the security guardhouse or checking in via the SafeEntry contact-tracing system in accordance with Covid-19 regulations.

At about 11pm, the pair then entered a toilet for the disabled, which was located on the 24th floor. They later left the toilet and spent more time talking near there.

Court documents did not reveal what they did in the toilet.

HE COULD ‘DO SOMETHING’

Ganesan, who was on the same floor, noticed the couple. He approached them and accused the victim of trespass, then claimed that he had photographed them leaving the toilet together.

He insisted that the victim had committed “serious offences” and the victim could go to jail.

Frightened by this, the victim asked Ganesan to talk elsewhere and allow the woman to return to her apartment. Ganesan agreed and the two went to West Coast Park.

Under the pretence of sending a phone text message to the woman he had visited, the victim recorded their conversation with his mobile phone.

Ganesan told him not to worry as he could “do something” for him, asking if he “want to come for settlement” and “how much you want to settle”.

The victim asked him if he wanted tips, to which Ganesan agreed. He said that he wanted S$10,000 and claimed that the pair’s faces were clearly caught on camera, and he had to review 90 cameras’ worth of video footage to delete all relevant footage.

Ganesan also continued to emphasise that once the victim was charged, he would be “sack out of the country” after going to prison.

He further claimed that he was a “highly officer” with the “police licensing sector” working undercover.

Afraid of what might happen, the victim agreed to pay Ganesan S$2,000 at first before transferring the remaining sum within a week. Ganesan then agreed to let him return home to prepare the money.

Over the next several hours, Ganesan called him several times and sent him screenshots of the CCTV footage of the toilet.

He also told the victim that he was at work at Police Cantonment Complex and sent the victim photographs of the police station, to bolster his claim that he was a police officer.

He also claimed to have told officers from Clementi Police Division about the victim’s “illegal entry to estate & had sex inside the toilet with student”, and that the victim had to “standby (his) Japan embassy” and be prepared to “hand over your S Pass/permit”.

Ganesan ultimately claimed to have placed a “hold” on investigations and asked the victim not to delay matters further. He also said that he knew the victim’s friend’s address and threatened to tell the apartment owner about the incident.

The victim made a report around this time. Ganesan was arrested by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau two days later.

'EXPLOITED FOREIGNER'

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Gabriel Choong asked for two-and-a-half years’ jail and between three and six strokes of the cane.

Among the aggravating factors was the fear that Ganesan had instilled in the victim over 22 hours through multiple calls and text messages, DPP Choong said.

Ganesan had also exploited a foreign national working in Singapore, who stood to lose his job and residency here if Ganesan had followed through with his threats.

DPP Choong added that Ganesan had betrayed Seahill's trust by seeking gratification instead of taking action against the victim for his SafeEntry breach.

In mitigation, Ganesan — who did not have a lawyer — pleaded for leniency and said that he was the sole breadwinner of his family.

“The Covid pandemic has pushed me into a depression… I am distressed because of it,” Ganesan said, adding that he wished to go back to Malaysia as soon as possible.

For putting a person in fear of harm in order to commit extortion, he could have been jailed at least two years and up to five years, as well as caned.

Related topics

crime court extortion Seahill condominium security guard impersonation police

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