Teen faces reformative training in fake note cheating case

SINGAPORE: A teenager and three others used a fake $10,000 note and cheated a student of three iPhones.

For that, 18—year—old Koh Siang Wei now faces reformative training for up to 18 months.

On Tuesday, Koh admitted to one charge of cheating 23—year—old Emerson Goh Shou En on May 22 last year, together with three friends.

The three are Lim Ming Cheng, 17, Kenneth Chan Jing Xiang, 18, and Jeremy Lim Zheng Jie, 19. They had been dealt with in court. Lim was given 18 months’ probation and the other two were given stern warnings.

A day before the offence was committed, the victim advertised in an online forum looking for buyers for three Apple iPhone 4 mobile phones.

The next day on 22 May, Goh received a call from Lim, who arranged to meet him at Kovan MRT station to buy the three iPhones for $2,750.

At about 10pm, Chan and Jeremy Lim turned up to meet the victim and handed Goh a $10,000 note.

Koh, who was a student at Pei Cai Secondary at the time of the offence, had passed Chan and Jeremy Lim the fake note.

In pleading for leniency, Koh’s lawyer told the court the incident has made his client realise the folly of his ways.

The district judge has asked for two reports — one on probation and the other on reformative training.

This is to determine which is more suitable for Koh.

— CNA/de