SINGAPORE — In a surprising turn of events, the pimp who forced a minor into having sex with 100 clients has maintained his plea of guilt.

Tang Huisheng, 37, from China had pleaded guilty to four charges last month for bringing the minor into Singapore for prostitution, living off her earnings, harbouring her, and abetting a man to have paid sex with her.

Yesterday, he disputed certain facts of the case and told the court he did not want to plead guilty. However today, Tang pleaded guilty for a second time.

The petite man sobbed uncontrollably in the dock when the charges were read out to him.

This comes after the morning hearing where he decided to retract his claims over certain aspects of the facts of the case.

Previously, Tang had admitted to giving drugs to the girl on one occasion and having sex with her while she was still in a stupor. He also admitted to repeatedly asking her for sex and beating her if she did not comply. He denied these facts yesterday.

Tang is now expected to be sentenced on Oct 10.

Last month, the court heard that between May 18 and June 1 this year, Tang collected about S$9,000 from the minor in prostitution earnings.

The girl, who is also from China, was 17 at the time of the offences.

She had provided sexual services to some 100 clients on about 150 occasions, receiving about S$60 each time.

Tang would then use the money he took from the girl to pay for rental and other expenses, as well as gamble at the casino at Marina Bay Sands.

The girl met Tang earlier this year in Zhuhai, China, when she sought better work opportunities to help pay off her family’s debts.

So far, 24 men have been charged with having paid sex with the girl.

Thirteen have been sentenced to between 11 and 12 weeks’ jail each. CHANNEL NEWSASIA