Man gets 15-week jail term for vice offences

SINGAPORE - A Singaporean was jailed for 15 weeks on Monday for conspiring to live in part on the earnings of a China prostitute and receiving her at the Changi Airport.

Gerald Koh Chee Kong, 38, who faced four charges, admitted to two offences. He conspired with Chinese nationals Jiang Ying and Chen Ping Gen to live in part on the earnings of a 42-year-old Chinese prostitute and receiving her at the airport on Sept 13 this year.

He is the fifth and final person to be convicted of being involved in prostitution activities.

Two weeks ago, Chen, 32, his girlfriend Liang Yadi, Wan Jin, 23, and Jiang, 28, were each given between 10 weeks and 12 months' jail for vice offences in HDB heartlands.

The court heard that Koh worked in a company, Qilin Immigration and Manpower Services Bureau, which provides services such as appealing against repatriation, visa application and advising on manpower and legal issues faced by foreigners. He received a 30 per cent commission for every successful referral to the company.

Aside from his job, Koh also helped to arrange for women from China to enter Singapore to provide sexual services.

He knew an agent in China who would inform him whenever there were women who wanted to prostitute themselves. He would receive them at Changi Airport, arrange for their lodging and introduce them to a webmaster to advertise their sexual services online.

Koh would receive RMB4,000 from the RMB8,000 to RMB12,0000 charged by the agent for prostitutes to come to Singapore. He would buy air tickets for them, and make a profit of $80 to $120 by marking up the prices.

The court heard that he introduced Jiang to Chen. Both Jiang and Chen entered into a joint venture to share profits from vice activities at two flats in Woodlands.

Koh earned a profit of $200 by recommending prostitutes to stay at one of the units.

In mitigation, Koh said he was sorry and started doing voluntary work to repent for his action.

He could have been jailed for up to five years and fined up to $10,000 on each charge.

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