Singer Aliff Aziz jailed for stealing from Indonesian singer, behaving disorderly on Orchard Road

• Aliff Aziz stole about S$400 from an Indonesian singer in a Studio M hotel room last year
• A few months later, he behaved in a rowdy manner while drunk near Orchard Towers 
• He suffered from an adjustment disorder at the time but it was too minor for him to be given a community sentencing option
   

SINGAPORE — Singer and actor Aliff Aziz was sentenced to two weeks’ jail and a S$500 fine on Tuesday (Sept 15) for stealing from an Indonesian singer in a hotel room and behaving rowdily several months later near Orchard Towers. 

Another theft charge was taken into consideration for sentencing.

The 29-year-old, who pleaded guilty last month to the charges, was found unsuitable for a community sentencing option called a mandatory treatment order. 

This is offered to offenders suffering from mental health conditions that led to an offence. Those given the order must attend sessions with a court-appointed psychiatrist.

One of Aliff’s four lawyers, Mr Murali Pillai of Rajah & Tann, previously told the court that a psychiatrist at Raffles Hospital had diagnosed Aliff with an adjustment disorder.

However, Aliff was found unsuitable for a mandatory treatment order because the court-appointed psychiatrist who examined him said that his disorder had “no bearing, link or contribution to his offending behaviour”.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Pavithra Ramkumar sought two weeks’ jail and a fine, and Mr Murali agreed with it.

In sentencing Aliff, Principal District Judge Victor Yeo took into account Aliff's expression of remorse and his “personal circumstances” leading to his offences. He was also willing to continue contributing to the community, the judge said.

This is not Aliff’s first brush with the law. 

He was fined S$2,000 in 2014 for theft with common intention.

THE CASE

On June 7 last year, Aliff met Indonesian singer Raja Yunika Perdhana Putri, 32, in her room at the Studio M Hotel near Clarke Quay.

They discussed how Ms Raja could help further his singing career in Indonesia. She then went to rest and left her handbag near Aliff.

He took S$300 and 1 million rupiah (S$94) from her handbag before leaving the room.

When Ms Raja awoke a few hours later, she called Aliff to ask about the missing money. He initially denied stealing it.

She made a police report later that afternoon and he eventually admitted that he stole the cash because he needed money.

He exchanged the rupiah for Singapore dollars at a money changer and spent the cash on food and transport. 

He has since repaid the full amount to Ms Raja.

Separately, on Aug 6 last year, at about 4.45am, Aliff stole a packet of cigarettes and a lighter from a man at a Starbucks cafe in Plaza Singapura mall along Orchard Road.

Three months later, on Nov 10, he was captured behaving in a disorderly manner in a video that went viral online.

At 5.30am that day, while drunk, he shouted loudly and gesticulated at another person under the link bridge at Orchard Towers along Orchard Road. Several passers-by tried to intervene.

Two police officers advised him to calm down and he walked away.

Trailing him from a distance, the officers saw him shouting loudly again and gesturing at passers-by. He also kicked the bumper of a taxi.

The officers again told him to calm down but he continued to be rowdy.

Aliff then ran into an acquaintance and the pair got into a scuffle. 

The officers intervened and arrested Aliff.

For theft in a dwelling, he could have been jailed up to seven years and fined.

For behaving in a disorderly manner in public, he could have been jailed up to six months or fined up to S$2,000, or given both penalties.