SINGAPORE, May 6 — Unable to pay for sexual services, a father of seven children turned to printing fake dollar notes to help him offset the cost.
Feroz Akthar Hussain’s crime was later uncovered when the social escort he hired tried to pay for her laundry bills using the “cash” he gave her, and he then fled Singapore in the engine compartment of a bus to avoid prosecution.
He was arrested when he returned to Singapore a few months later.
Yesterday (May 5), the 41-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to three years and six weeks’ jail after he pleaded guilty to a charge each of using counterfeit currency and of failing to produce his passport to an immigration officer.
His sentencing was backdated from January 5, the day he was arrested, to take into account two other charges, one for forgery and the other for bail skipping.
What happened?
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Lee Da Zhuan told the court that Feroz’s offences took place on the night of December 28 last year.
He was working as a busdriver at the time and wanted to hire a social escort, 24 years old, from the Philippines, for sexual services on that particular night. However, he could not afford it.
So he photocopied a genuine S$50 bill (RM167.55), and then printed it on an inkjet, allowing him to make four copies.
Documents from the court revealed that three notes had the same serial numbers.
Feroz used these fake notes to offset his cost for an hour’s sexual services and the social escort he received at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront along Havelock Road. This cost him S$350.
On December 31, a few days after the incident, the woman attempted to pay for laundry at the Mercure Singapore Stevens hotel located near Orchard Road using two of the fake bills.
The front office manager of the hotel “strongly suspected” that the notes were fake and told the woman to wait at the lobby, DPP Lee said.
The manager called the police.
Feroz attempted to flee Malaysia on 4 January this year around 1.40am to avoid prosecution.
The incident occurred while he was on bail. Feroz wasn’t charged with anything specific at the time.
Feroz took out S$1,900 at an automated teller and then he took a taxi from the Hougang heavy vehicle park to get someone to help him smuggle into Malaysia.
There, he asked for his colleague, who was identified in court documents as just “Din”.
Din and I agreed to the trip, which took place around 7am.
Feroz was able, at the Tuas Checkpoint, to pass the border without detection by hiding in a small area behind the bus engine.
He returned to the same border crossing on January 5, at approximately 1.35pm, without his Singapore passport. Why he returned to Singapore is unknown.
He confessed that the Singapore Police Force wanted him and that he crossed illegally into Malaysia.
A serious crime
Feroz, the defendant who appeared before District Judge Brenda Chua via video-link, and without a lawyer present, asked for a lighter punishment because he was a father of seven children.
The judge noted Feroz’s written mitigation which stated that Feroz also had a sick mother and a non-working wife.
“This is your first crime, and this is your last crime, did you say that?” the judge asked and Feroz acknowledged that.
District Judge Chua then told him that offences relating to counterfeit currency notes “are of a serious nature”.
As the judge’s sentence was translated into Malay for Feroz, his face scrunched up and he started choking on his tears.
He covered his mouth at one point with his hands, before glancing up and murmuring to himself. Later, he cried out in anguish.
Feroz, for using counterfeit notes could have faced a 20-year prison sentence and a fine.
If he had not presented his passport to the immigration officer, then he could be fined up S$1,000 and/or jailed for up six months. ― TODAY
