Woman in court for allegedly pretending to be a goddess, forcing ‘devotees’ to eat human faeces

• Woo May Hoe, 50, now faces 10 charges that include cheating and causing grievous hurt
• She is accused of cheating “devotees” of more than S$3.5 million and committing violent acts against them
• This includes using pliers to extract or break their teeth

SINGAPORE — A 50-year-old Singaporean woman was hauled back to court on Friday (Oct 30) over numerous allegations that include forcing two people to swallow human faeces.

Woo May Hoe had pretended to be “the embodiment of an (Indian) goddess” for eight years and attracted “certain devotees", who are the subject of the charges, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Winston Man told the court.

She now faces a total of 10 charges such as cheating and causing grievous hurt.

The following are the offences that Woo is accused of committing against eight people so far.

• Between early 2013 and early 2015: Cheated a woman into giving her S$3.5 million, after lying that she had to sponsor the expansion of a school built by “Amma” (which means “mother” in Tamil) at Vellore village in India.

• Between March 2016 and May 2019: Cheated a woman into handing over S$57,780. Woo allegedly lied to the victim that she had to pay part of the interest for a S$500,000 loan, which Woo had secured from an unlicensed moneylender. The loan was purportedly for a down-payment over the purchase of a landed property in Bedok.

• May 2017: Cheated a third woman into handing over a bracelet worth S$13,000, after lying that she was collecting money to sponsor the building of a temple in India.

• February 2018: Cheated a fourth woman into giving cash of S$27,000 for the payment of a condominium unit at The Tapestry in Tampines.

• Feb 20, 2018: Forced someone to swallow human faeces as punishment at a Punggol Central flat.

• August or September 2019: Used a pair of pliers to forcibly extract a tooth from a fifth woman, aged 40, causing permanent disfigurement to her face.

• September 2019: Hit a sixth woman’s mouth several times with a soup ladle, breaking one of her teeth at the landed property in Bedok.

• Late September 2019: Used pliers to break several of the 40-year-old woman’s teeth at the same landed property.

• Oct 18, 2019: Caused grievous hurt to the same woman at a flat along Kaki Bukit Avenue 4, by using a paint roller brush to hit the back of her head and right hand. The victim suffered a fracture of her right hand.

• Dec 2, 2019: Forced someone to swallow human faeces at the same flat.

19 VICTIMS WITH ANOTHER 4 TO COME

On Friday, DPP Man asked for Woo — who does not have a lawyer — to be held in remand for another week. She was arrested and first remanded on Oct 10.

The prosecutor explained that investigators have already identified 19 victims and “intend to engage another four in the coming week”.

When Woo was first arrested, she was hospitalised that same day and was discharged three days later.

This impeded the investigation officer’s attempts to interview her, the DPP said, and the statements taken from her during that period were “very cursory” due to concerns over her well-being.

He added that if she is further remanded, the police can readily approach her to take statements regarding the next four victims.

Woo had previously claimed to hear voices, so DPP Man said that when she is eventually sent to the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric assessment, doctors should have “a complete picture of her offences”.

The prosecution does not wish for her to interfere with witnesses either, he added.

“The period of exploitation was over eight years and there is some concern about the mindset of victims and followers.”

When DPP Man told the court that the total amount Woo allegedly cheated from her victims is anticipated to be “at least twice” of what she is charged with now, she responded in Mandarin: “I never take, I want to hire a lawyer. I’m very tired and I’ve been very cooperative. My whole body hurts.”

In granting the extra and final remand period, District Judge Terence Tay noted that Woo’s alleged deception was “at a spiritual level”.

However, he warned the prosecutor that he has to consider Woo’s rights to liberty. He also instructed the investigation officer to ensure that she gets medical attention if she complains of being unwell.

Woo will return to court on Nov 6.

If convicted of causing hurt by forcing someone to swallow a harmful substance, she could be jailed up to 10 years and fined. Causing grievous hurt carries the same punishment.

Both offences also carry the possibility of caning, but women cannot be caned under the law here.

If convicted of cheating, she could similarly be jailed up to 10 years and fined.