On 28 October 2026, three Singaporeans and one Filipino national were charged by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in four separate cases for harbouring and employing immigration offenders.
Case of Edmund Poh Ding Ren (“Poh”)
2. Poh, a 26-year-old Singaporean man, was charged with employing a 27-year-old Sri Lankan man, Rathu Arachchilage Priyanath Pasindu Malshan (“Rathu”) who had overstayed in Singapore since 21 December 2025.
3. Investigations by ICA revealed that Poh had allegedly employed Rathu from February to July 2026 without conducting due diligence checks to ensure that he possessed a valid pass to remain in Singapore. Rathu was subsequently sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment and three strokes of the cane. He has since been deported and barred from re-entering Singapore.
Case of Nur Hasanah Binte Ariff (“Hasanah”)
4. Hasanah, a 40-year-old Singaporean woman, was charged with harbouring and employing a 36-year-old Indonesian woman, Masemi, who had overstayed in Singapore after her Special Pass expired on 27 May 2025. She has since been deported from Singapore.
Case of Goh Yong Hua (“Goh”)
5. Goh, a 77-year-old Singaporean man, was charged with harbouring a 47-year-old Chinese woman, Zhou Qunying (“Zhou”), who had overstayed in Singapore since 3 June 2010.
6. Investigations by ICA revealed that Goh had allegedly allowed Zhou to stay at his Marine Crescent residence until her arrest, despite knowing that she had overstayed in Singapore. Zhou was subsequently sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of $2,000 and has since been deported and barred from re-entering Singapore.
Case of Macatangay Rolando Jr Hicana (“Macatangay”)
7. Macatangay, a 42-year-old Filipino man, was charged with two counts of harbouring a 53-year-old Filipino woman, Jocelyn Labiaga Adlawan (“Adlawan”), with reckless disregard as to whether Adlawan’s stay in Singapore was valid. Adlawan, who had overstayed in Singapore since 25 June 2009, was subsequently sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, and fined of $2,000. She has since been deported and barred from re-entering Singapore.
Firm Action Against the Employment and Harbouring of Immigration Offenders
8. ICA takes a firm stance against any person who employs or harbours immigration offenders.
- Employing Immigration Offenders: A person found guilty of employing overstayers and/or illegal immigrants may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than six months and up to two years and a fine of up to S$6,000.
- Harbouring Immigration Offenders: A person found guilty of recklessly or knowingly harbouring overstayers and/or illegal immigrants may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than six months and up to two years and a fine of up to S$6,000. A person found guilty of negligently harbouring overstayers and/or illegal immigrants may be sentenced to a fine of up to S$6,000 or to imprisonment for a term of up to 12 months, or to both.
9. Those who wish to rent out their premises must exercise due diligence in checking the immigration status of their prospective foreign tenants to ensure that their stay in Singapore is legal. They are required to:
- Check the tenant’s original immigration/work pass;
- Cross-check the particulars on his/her pass against the particulars on his/her original passport; and
- Verify the validity of his/her pass by checking with the issuing authority (i.e. Ministry of Manpower for work passes and ICA for immigration passes – Student’s Pass and Long-Term Visit Pass)
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
28 OCTOBER 2026