SINGAPORE: Two men have been charged over their roles in helping to post bail for a Chinese syndicate member who is linked to a spate of jewellery thefts from landed houses in Singapore.
The thief, 39-year-old Chinese national Long Zhihua, later absconded despite entering a guilty plea for helping to steal S$570,000 (US$445,000) worth of jewellery from a house in Windsor Park Road. He remains at large.
Singaporean Wilson Ang, 41, was on Tuesday (Jul 22) handed three charges for acting as an errant bailor for Long, allowing him to be released on bail, and lodging a false police report after Long jumped bail.
Malaysian Wai Kei Fung, 25, was given two charges for giving Ang the S$30,000 (US$23,400) bail and agreeing to indemnify Ang against any losses in Ang’s role as Long’s bailor.
According to charge sheets, Ang entered into an agreement with a person known only as “BBQ” sometime in March this year.
Under this agreement, Ang would be indemnified of any liability he may incur as bailor for Long.
On Apr 1, he acted as Long’s bailor with the money he received from Wai, enabling Long to be released from remand and to avoid attending court proceedings.
According to a police statement, Wai drove to prison and fetched Long when he was released, before driving to a hotel where Wai footed the bill for a room for Long.
Long later absconded. The State Courts have since issued a warrant of arrest against him, and the police said they are working with foreign law enforcement counterparts to trace his whereabouts.
Ang then lodged a police report, claiming that he was able to contact Long once every morning and night. This was allegedly false information and he did not know Long.
According to a police statement, he also falsely claimed that he had maintained regular contact with Long before eventually losing contact with him.
