Man who ran errands for pimp for $10 a day jailed two weeks
For just $10 a day, he agreed to be a runner for a pimp and collect earning from prostitutes operating out of HDB flats. The last time he did so, he was caught in a police raid.
Yuan Zhengwang, a 26-year-old Chinese national, was jailed two weeks after pleading guilty in the State Courts to one charge of abetting another to live in part on the earnings of the prostitution of another person on Friday (13 October). He was also fined $3,000 for obstruction of justice.
The court heard that Yuan, a container surveyor, contacted someone named ‘Zi Xin’ through WeChat sometime in June 2017 after learning that he could earn extra income by working for him. ‘Zi Xin’ agreed to pay Yuan $10 a day for running errands.
Yuan was handed an iPhone by another man the next day. ‘Zi Xin’ then contacted Yuan through that phone, and instructed him to deliver condoms and lubricants to females in Singapore, or collect rent from them. Despite realising then that the women were working as prostitutes, Yuan did not stop working for ‘Zi Xin’.
Around the same time, Chen Yina, a 33-year-old Chinese national, arrived in Singapore and was told by a friend that she could earn quick money by working as a freelance prostitute in Singapore.
An unknown male arranged for Chen to live at a rented HDB flat in Jurong West Street 64 for $100 a day. After Chen moved into the unit, the man also helped advertise her sexual services online. The man also told her to contact a number belonging to Yuan once she was ready to pay the rent.
On 28 June, Chen asked Yuan to change a light bulb in her room and also told him to collect her rental payment. The next day, Yuan went to the flat and changed the light bulb and then collected the $500 rent, even though he was aware that the money were earnings from Chen’s prostitution.
Before Yuan could leave the flat, however, police raided the flat. Panicking, Yuan threw an iPhone, which was given to him by ‘Zi Xin’, out of the window in an attempt to destroy evidence.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Zhi Xiang said that the phone was eventually retrieved by police officers. Police also seized $100 from Yuan, believed to be his salary given to him by ‘Zi Xin’, as well as the $500 that he collected from Chen. Yuan, who has been in remand since July, will have his sentence backdated.
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