Singapore—The two teenagers who were part of the Telegram chat group with the innocuous-sounding name of SG Nasi Lemak charged with the distribution of nude photos of women have been handed an additional charge in court on October 18, Friday.
Seventeen-year-old Abdillah Sabaruddin and nineteen-year-old Justin Lee Han Shi were given an additional charge of having obscene materials on their electronic devices such as mobile phones, although documents from the court did not disclose what these materials were.
Messrs Abdillah and Lee have been accused of committing the offenses earlier in October.
When the two men, along with 26-year-old Leonard Teo Min Xuan, and 37-year-old Liong Tianwei, appeared in court via video link earlier this week, on Tuesday, October 15, the police said that they had been apprehended for their “suspected involvement in circulating obscene materials and promoting vice activities” via the SG Nasi Lemak chat group.
On October 4, the police said they were investigating SG Nasi Lemak, due to suspicions that nude photos of Singaporean women, allegedly including upskirt pictures, were being shared in the chat group.
The four men were then charged with conspiracy to commit distributions of obscene materials, under Section 292(a) read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224.
Police investigations have shown that Leonard Teo Min Xuan and Liong Tianwei are the administrators of the Telegram group, while the two teenage men are distributors of the obscene material. Police officers have seized over 10 electronic devices, including a central processing unit, a laptop, a hard drive, and several mobile phones, as case exhibits.
The four men have each been charged with one count of transmitting obscene materials by electronic means. Messrs Lee, Teo, and Liong have been accused of committing the offence between January and October 2019. And on October 5, Mr Abdillah was said to have shared an explicit picture of two naked women.
If they are found guilty, the men may receive a jail sentence of up to three months, be fined, or both.
The police force included an appeal in its statement. “Members of the public are advised to stop soliciting in any lewd website or joining such online platforms and illicit chat groups. The Police takes a serious view of anyone involved in criminal activities and will continue to take tough enforcement actions against those breaking the law.”
On October 4, the police said they were investigating SG Nasi Lemak, due to suspicions that nude photos of Singaporean women, allegedly including upskirt pictures, were being shared in the chat group.
Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao showed screenshots that the group had 44,000 members when it was still active, although by then it could no longer be accessed. Members allegedly had to pay a S$30 entry fee to become part of the group.
On Friday, October 15, Messrs Abdillah and Lee were both offered bail in the amount of $5,000. The two teenagers’ cases have been adjourned until next month, November 15th.
As for the two older man, Messrs Liong and Teo, they will be back in court on October 22, next Tuesday./ TISG
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