Fake ICs for sale: Singaporean gets jail for helping 2 Indonesians obtain forged identity cards

SINGAPORE — A Singaporean man was sentenced to five months' jail for abetting two Indonesian men in possessing forged Singapore identity cards (IC).

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Thursday (Sept 14) that Mohamad Norrahhi Bin Noman, 48, had first helped an Indonesian man, Onky Febrian, to get a fake IC.

When Onky, 28, arrived in Singapore on Oct 31,2022, Norrahhi collected $550 and handed him a fake IC bearing a different identity. This IC was intended to be used for identification purposes when Onky's employer requested it.

Onky also stayed at Norrahhi's residence in Boon Lay Drive and returned to Indonesia on Nov 15, 2022, after working for 14 days in Singapore.

ICA said that Onky then got acquainted with Asrul Muzahar, 23, another Indonesian male who was also interested in working in Singapore.

Both men arrived here on Jan 8, 2023, and went to Norrahhi's residence where they paid $200 each for fake Singapore ICs bearing different identities.

The men, who started work as cleaners at a mall the following day, had been instructed by Norrahhi to memorise the details on the ICs and not to reveal to anyone that they are Indonesians.

On Jan 12, police officers conducted a routine check on Onky and Asrul and noticed that the details on the ICs did not match their actual identities.

They were subsequently arrested for possession of forged Singapore ICs and were referred to ICA, who conducted further investigations and identified Norrahhi. He was arrested at his Boon Lay Drive residence on Jan 31 by ICA officers.

Other charges taken into consideration during Norrahhi's sentencing included his possession of a forged Singapore IC at his place of residence and abetting Asrul to be in possession of a forged Singapore IC.

Onky and Asrul were earlier convicted and sentenced on Jan 20 to two months' jail each for possession of a forged Singapore IC under the National Registration Act.

ICA said it takes a serious view of persons possessing forged ICs or abetting others to be in possession of these ICs.

If convicted of possessing false identity cards, or abetting others to be in possession of these documents, a person may be fined up to $10,000 or jailed for up to 10 years, or both.

The same punishments apply for those charged with abetting such an offence, the authorities said.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.