Crime
41-yr-old man arrested for suspected involvement in a case of mischief by fire at Jurong West Street 41
The Singapore Force announced that it had arrested a 41-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a case of mischief by fire at Jurong West Street 41.
The Police said that it was alerted to a fire that had broken out at a coffee shop and wet market located at Blk 493, Jurong West Street 41 on 11 October 2016 at about 2.42 am.
300 residents were evacuated from a coffee shop and wet market during the fire, while one of the residents, a lady in her 60s, had difficulty in breathing while evacuating. She was conveyed to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. Fortunately, no other injuries were reported.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) dispatched three fire engines, four red rhinos, seven support vehicles, and 4 ambulances to extinguish the fire.
Due to the raging fire, the roof of the wet market collapsed and the exterior side wall of a coffee shop at Block 494, which was directly facing the blaze, sustained heavy fire damage.
The Police said that officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and Jurong Division responded immediately to the scene and commenced intensive investigation probes into the incident.
The Police conducted extensive ground enquiries and follow-up investigations. Therefore, the suspect was identified and arrested on 13 October 2016 along Jurong West Street 41.
The Police said that the suspect will be charged in Court on 15 October 2016 with the offence of Mischief by Fire with intent to destroy a building under Section 436 of the Penal Code, which is punishable on conviction with imprisonment for life or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Commander Jurong Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police (AC) Koh Wei Keong said, “This is a serious crime which had resulted in extensive damage to property and loss of income to innocent victims. The Police have zero tolerance for such lawless acts and will ensure that perpetrators are dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.”
Crime
Singaporean man arrested in Batam for alleged child sexual abuse
A Singaporean man was arrested in Batam, Indonesia, for sexually abusing his 16-year-old stepdaughter. The 50-year-old was apprehended at his residence in Batam on 7 September. Local authorities accused that the perpetrator repeatedly assaulted the victim during his visits to Batam, and the abuse is believed to have lasted for more than two years.
BATAN, INDONESIA:A Singaporean man has been arrested in Batam, Indonesia, on charges of sexually abusing his underage stepdaughter for over two years.
The 50-year-old suspect, identified only as AH, was apprehended at his residence in the Mutiara View housing complex on 7 September.
As per reported by local media, police alleged that AH repeatedly sexually assaulted his 16-year-old stepdaughter, AF, during his frequent visits to Batam.
According to Senior Police Commissioner Heribertus Ompusunggu, chief of the Barelang precinct police, the perpetrator engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim an estimated 120 times during his weekly trips to the Indonesian island.
The alleged abuse began in June 2022, shortly after AF, who used to live with her grandmother in Karawang, West Java, moved to Batam to live with her mother.
One day in July 2022, the girl slept in the same room with AH while her mother was in another room.
The police believed that after AH may have gave AF a drink laced with jasmine flowers, he allegedly sexually assaulted her.
On 7 September, the victim’s mother sought help from a friend to escape the house, unable to endure her husband’s violent behaviour and the sexual abuse of her daughter.
The victim’s mother was afraid to report the abuse due to repeated threats from the alleged perpetrator.
The police have detained AH for further investigation into alleged violations of the 2016 law on child protection.
If found guilty, he could face a prison sentence of five to 15 years, with an additional punishment of one-third of the jail term due to his status as the victim’s stepfather.
Crime
Leaders of Japanese syndicate accused of laundering S$628.7M lived in Singapore
Japanese crime syndicate leader Sotaro Ishikawa, linked to a ¥70 billion (S$628.7 million) money-laundering operation, was discovered to have ties to Singapore, including directorships in local firms. Several syndicate members were arrested in Japan and the Philippines, with investigations ongoing across multiple countries.
SINGAPORE: The head of a Japanese criminal syndicate accused of laundering ¥70 billion (S$628.7 million) for organized crime had ties to Singapore, including property ownership and directorships in local firms, The Straits Times reports.
Sotaro Ishikawa (石川宗太郎), 35, fled Japan in February amid police investigations but maintained a condominium in Bukit Timah and was appointed director of the Singaporean software firm, Rivaton, in March.
Ishikawa’s syndicate, Rivaton Group, is believed to have over 40 members and systematically set up shell companies in Japan to launder money linked to scams and illegal gambling.
The Osaka Prefectural Police revealed the group utilized corporate accounts of at least 500 companies and 4,000 bank accounts to process illicit funds.
Both Ishikawa and his second-in-command, Kosuke Yamada (山田耕介), 39, were arrested on 9 July after returning to Japan from Dubai.
Syndicate Leadership Tied to Singapore
Several senior members of the syndicate were also linked to Singapore-based companies.
Yamada, who resided in the same Bukit Timah condominium as Ishikawa, was appointed director of KO Enterprise Next in September 2023.
Takamasa Ikeda (池田隆雅), 38, the group’s third-ranking officer, lived in Novena and was director of local advertising firm Glosal, having been arrested on 2 September after flying from Singapore to Japan.
Japanese authorities issued a wanted notice in August for five senior syndicate members, including Ishikawa, Yamada, and Ikeda.
The other two leaders, Hiroyuki Kawasaki (川崎博之) and Shinya Ito (伊藤真也), were arrested in the Philippines, with plans for their extradition to Japan.
Shell Companies and a Singapore Connection
The syndicate allegedly operated with layers of management, functioning like a legitimate business.
According to the Sankei Shimbun, the group maintained standard office hours, managed by three tiers of staff, and operated with detailed procedures to avoid suspicion.
This included automated systems that transferred funds between accounts based on balance levels or timing.
In Singapore, all of the companies linked to the syndicate were established by a Japanese lawyer and Singapore permanent resident.
He claimed to have conducted thorough due diligence checks on the suspects, including meeting them personally in Japan and verifying their documents.
The lawyer expressed shock upon recognizing one of the men arrested in Japan and subsequently filed a suspicious transaction report with Singaporean authorities.
While cooperating fully with Japanese officials, he stated that he had not been contacted by Singapore authorities regarding the case.
Authorities Continue Investigations
The Rivaton Group allegedly provided money-laundering services to various criminal organizations under the guise of being a payment solutions provider.
A Japanese police official noted the syndicate’s organizational structure, with clear divisions of responsibility in areas such as fund transfers and interaction with financial institutions.
The lawyer responsible for setting up the shell companies emphasized that he had taken extra precautions after Singapore’s S$3 billion money laundering case earlier this year but had found nothing suspicious in his dealings with the syndicate members.
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