PUBLISHED ONJuly 30, 2026 9:25 AMBYSean LerFour persons, comprising three Singaporeans and one Indian national, were charged by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Thursday (July 30).
They are accused of harbouring and employing immigration offenders, the authority said in a news release on the same day.
Singaporeans Thomas Lee Kum Chuen, 58, and 76-year-old Foo Cher Fatt were charged in relation to the case of a female Chinese national named Xiao Shufang.
The 49-year-old woman had remained unlawfully in Singapore after the expiry of her work permit over 13 years ago, on March 3, 2013.
However, Lee had allegedly employed her as a part-time cleaner from the time her permit expired to April this year.
ICA said that Lee had failed to conduct further verification of her immigration status even after knowing her work permit had expired.
Meanwhile, Foo is said to have allowed Xiao to stay in his Bukit Batok home from sometime in 2012 to April this year, without conducting due diligence checks to ensure that she had a valid pass to stay in Singapore.
Xiao has since been deported from Singapore after completing her sentence of six months' imprisonment. She is also banned from re-entering Singapore.
The third Singaporean to be charged is Yan Mun Wai, 51.
He was charged for harbouring a 42-year-old Filipina, Leilanie Ragasa Alog, who had remained unlawfully in Singapore after the expiry of her visit pass some 14 years ago on 2 July 2012.
Investigations by ICA revealed that Yan had allegedly allowed Leilanie to stay in his Teck Whye Lane unit from sometime in 2018 to January 2026.
He is said to have done so without verifying her immigration status and conducting due diligence checks to ensure that she had a valid pass to stay in Singapore.
The Filipina who was jailed and fined, has since completed her sentence and has been deported from Singapore. She is similarly barred from re-entering Singapore.
The sole foreigner to be charged is 34-year-old Indian national Durairaj Singamuthu.
ICA said that he had employed a 39-year-old Indian man who had remained unlawfully in Singapore after the expiry of his visit pass on 20 August 2025.
The man, Krishnakumar Ravi, was hired as a delivery assistant by Durairaj, from February to April this year.
According to ICA, Durairaj had failed to conduct due diligence checks to ensure that Krishnakumar possessed a valid work permit to work and stay in Singapore.
The 39-year-old was subsequently convicted and sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment and three strokes of the cane.
He has also been deported and is barred from re-entering Singapore.
In its statement, ICA said it takes a firm stance against anyone who harbours immigration offenders.
"Those who wish to rent out their premises must exercise due diligence in checking the immigration status of their prospective foreign tenants to ensure that their stay in Singapore is legal," said the authority.
Anyone found guilty of recklessly or knowingly harbouring overstayers or illegal immigrants faces a mandatory jail term of between six months and two years, along with a fine of up to $6,000.
Meanwhile, anyone found guilty of negligently harbouring overstayers or illegal immigrants faces a fine of up to $6,000 and/or up to 12 months' jail.
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