UNDERAGE SEX SCANDAL

 

48 men have been charged in court for paying for sex with an underage prostitute. Another 14 are under probe.

The accused include civil servants, high flyers in the finance industry, and other notable figures.

Miss XXX's appointement schedule

80 men have been implicated in the case. More charges are expected to be filed.

Paid sex with a minor carries a jail term of up to seven years and a possible fine. » Read: The law on underage sex

To date, two of the accused - former principal Lee Lip Hong and environmental activist Howard Shaw - have pleaded guilty to the charges.

Here are the highlights.

June 27, 2012 (Wed)

Environmental activist Howard Shaw has pleaded guilty to having paid sex with an underage prostitute.

He is the second man to plead guilty after former principal Lee Lip Hong, who was sentenced to nine weeks in jail.

Shaw is the former executive director of the Singapore Environment Council and the grandson of Shaw Organisation founder Runme Shaw.    » Read more

June 18, 2012 (Mon)

Hearing for two of the 48 men allegedly involved the underage sex scandal continued in court today.

Howard Shaw, 41, and Juerg Buergin, 40, returned to court on Monday for discovery conferences, during which the prosecution and defence teams exchange case information.

Buergin will return to court on July 3.    » Read more

June 12, 2012 (Tue)

Four more of the 48 men charged with having sex with an underage prostitute intend to plead guilty.

Those who intend to do so are: Louis Lee Lip Kian, 33; Chiang Meng Chuan, 31; Wilson Oei, 25; and Pyi Kway Han, 31.    » Read more

May 07, 2012 (Mon)

31-year-old manager Chiang Meng Chuan appeared in court today for his second appearance, reported The Straits Times.

He allegedly paid between $500 to $600 to have sex with an underage girl at Hotel 81 Bencoolen on two separate occasions in September 2010.    » Read more

May 01, 2012 (Tue)

The former principal of Pei Chun Public School Lee Lip Hong said he first confessed his cheating to his wife on Dec 2 last year. It was the same day that he went for his first interview at the Criminal Investigation Department.

Lee has been given a nine-week jail sentence for paying for sex with an underage girl.

He also informed his superiors of the crime, offering to resign. He reportedly broke down in court as his lawyer pleaded for leniency.    » Read more

April 27, 2012 (Fri)

The former principal of Pei Chun Public School Lee Lip Hong has been given a nine-week jail sentence for paying for sex with an underage girl.

He reportedly broke down in court as his lawyer pleaded for leniency.

His lawyer, Melanie Ho, told the court that Lee was misled about the girl's age. Lee was told by the girl's pimp, Tang Boon Thiew, that she was 19 years old. Lee was said to have had no reason to doubt this due to the girl's appearance and behaviour.    » Read more

Former principal given 9-week jail sentence
Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: ST)
April 25, 2012 (Wed)

Former River Valley High School teacher Chua Ren Cheng, who was charged for commercial sex with a minor, appeared in court dressed in a suit.

This was a far cry from his first court appearance on April 18, when he donned a hoodie, cap, surgical mask and sunglasses in a bid to prevent his face from being photograph. At his second court appearance, he presented a very different demeanour and smiled confidently at the media.    » Read more

It was also reported that 14 more men are under probe for having paid sex with an underage girl. The latest batch is believed to comprise both locals and foreigners. Some of the foreigners may no longer be in the country, reported The Straits Times.    » Read more

Ex-teacher drops cover, appears in suit
Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: ST)
April 23, 2012 (Mon)

Three men charged for paid sex with an underage girl were back in court today.

Pyi Kyaw Han, 31, Koh Zi Yang, 29 and Kelvin Peck Yong Li, 21, were among the first batch of 44 men charged in court for allegedly having commercial sex with a minor.    » Read more

3 more men appear in court
Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: ST)
April 20, 2012 (Fri)

A 49-year-old businessman charged in connection with the online vice case has been granted permission to travel overseas.

Edward Whistler Goh Ngian Meng's lawyer said Goh needed to go to Shanghai, China and Kota Kinabalu, East Malaysia for business and an event.    » Read more

Swiss national Juerg Buergin, 40, a former banker with UBS Investment Bank in Singapore, was freed on $15,000 bail on Friday afternoon.    » Read more

Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: AFP, ST)

April 19, 2012 (Thu)

One of the suspects, Indonesian Reyner Desvando Suhartono, 28, was given permission by the court to return to his home country to get married.

He will leave for Indonesia from Friday to April 29 and May 16 to June 6 for his June 2 wedding. His lawyer, Mr Edmond Pereira, told the court that Mr Suhartono was not a flight risk.

District Judge Lim Tse Haw set a cash bail of $20,000 to be posted.  » Read more

Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: ST, Zaobao)

April 18, 2012 (Wed)

Four more men, including Howard Shaw, 41 - the grandson of Runme Shaw, founder of Shaw Organisation - were charged for paying for sex with an underage prostitute.

Others charged are former executive director of operations in UBS Investment Bank Juerg Buergin, 40, former teacher Chua Ren Cheng, 31, and businessman Edward Whistler Goh, 49.  » Read more

Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: ST, TNP, Zaobao)

 
April 16, 2012 (Mon)

44 men, including nine civil servants, were charged in court under Section 376B(1) of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, for having paid sex with an underaged girl.  » Read more

Among them was ex-principal of Pei Chun Public School, Lee Lip Hong, 39. He was the only one who pleaded guilty.  » Read more

Many of the accused donned masks, caps, hoodies or sunglasses as they left the court. Some used umbrellas and plastic bags to shield their faces.

The man accused of operating the online vice syndicate is businessman Tang Boon Thiew, 39, who reportedly owns several companies.

Click on thumbnail to view (Photos: ST, TNP, Zaobao, Reuters)

 
September 2010
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October 2010
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November 2010
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December 2010
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2011
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