Ex-religious teacher charged with swindling students, pilgrims of almost S$60,000, forging airline booking

SINGAPORE — A former religious teacher was charged on Wednesday (April 6) with various offences including misappropriating almost S$60,000 from students and pilgrims, forging an air ticket booking and managing a company while he was an undischarged bankrupt.

Rasman Saridin allegedly misappropriated S$27,900 from five students who had sought his assistance to enrol in a PhD course in Islamic studies at a foreign university between 2014 and 2017, the police said in a statement on Wednesday.

He also allegedly misappropriated more than S$32,000 from people who paid for pilgrimage tour packages in 2019.

Rasman is accused, as well, of forging an air ticket booking between Singapore and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia the same year. 

Between June 2018 and November 2019, Rasman, who was an undischarged bankrupt, allegedly travelled out of Singapore on several occasions without getting the requisite permission from the Official Assignee, the police said.

He purportedly managed a company as an undischarged bankrupt, too.

Rasman is facing seven charges of criminal breach of trust, one charge of forgery for the purpose of cheating and one charge for managing a company while being an undischarged bankrupt.

In response to a query by TODAY, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, or Muis, said that Rasman was suspended and subsequently removed from the Asatizah Recognition Scheme registry in 2018.

The scheme was established to enhance the standing of religious teachers and serve as a credible source of reference for the Singapore Muslim community.

Anyone found guilty of criminal breach of trust can be jailed for up to seven years, fined or both.

If convicted of forgery for the purpose of cheating, a person can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

For breaching bankruptcy restrictions, a person can be jailed for up two years or fined up to S$10,000, or both.