- Tan Khi Wie, a 58-year-old Singaporean man, was sentenced to 14 months' and three weeks' imprisonment on August 11 after being convicted for entering and leaving Singapore illegally and for abscondment.
- Tan was caught on March 7 this year at Changi Airport when he attempted to clear immigration using a fake Indonesian passport under the name 'Ken Srona'.
- In August 2002, Tan was convicted of cheating and sentenced to 18 months' jail for defrauding the Singapore Productivity and Standards Board out of a grant of S$195,800.
- After filing a notice of appeal in August 2002, Tan absconded from Singapore to avoid serving his sentence.
- Tan left Singapore illegally on a fishing boat to Pasir Gudang, Johor sometime between August 2002 and January 2003.
- A warrant of arrest was issued against Tan on February 20, 2003, after he failed to appear at a court mention in January that year.
- Between 2011 and 2016, Tan used Indonesian passports under the fake identity 'Ken Srona' to enter and leave Singapore multiple times.
Tan Khi Wie, 58, was initially convicted in August 2002 for cheating the Singapore Productivity and Standards Board out of S$195,800 (then US$109,300). After filing an appeal, he fled Singapore on a fishing boat to avoid serving his 18-month sentence.1456
A warrant for his arrest was issued in February 2003 after he failed to appear in court. Tan lived in Jakarta, Indonesia, using the alias Ken Srona to enter and exit Singapore illegally between 2011 and 2016.8
His return to Singapore on March 7 this year ended when he attempted to clear immigration at Changi Airport with a fake Indonesian passport. He was unable to complete the automated immigration process, prompting further checks by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) that revealed his true identity and outstanding warrant.23
Tan was subsequently sentenced to 14 months and three weeks in prison for six charges under the Immigration Act and Penal Code, with an additional 16 charges considered during sentencing. The ICA emphasized its commitment to enhancing border security through advanced biometric systems to prevent identity fraud.
“ICA will not hesitate to take firm action against those who attempt to enter or depart Singapore using an impersonated identity,” the agency stated.
“Tan Khi Wie, 58, was sentenced to 14 months' and three weeks' jail on Tuesday after pleading guilty to six charges, with 16 other charges taken into consideration. He had used the fake name 'Ken Srona' on Indonesian passports to re-enter Singapore between 2011 and 2016, but was foiled by biometric checks at automated lanes.”
AsiaOne
