After his ex-girlfriend blocked him on a messaging platform, a Singaporean man shared her nudes on a religious-themed porn group out of spite.

The group chat contained obscene images and videos of tudung-clad women, according to charge sheets seen by Mothership.

The man was caught after the victim went undercover on the platform to investigate.

For his crimes, the accused, 27, was handed two years and eight months' jail and two strokes of the cane, CNA reported.

He was also made to pay S$4,000 in compensation to the victim, who nearly committed suicide and was estranged from her mother due to the incident.

Incident

According to court documents, the victim and the accused were in a relationship in 2016 after meeting in a religious school.

The pair, then 15 and 17, respectively, exchanged intimate photos and videos at the accused's persuasion.

They broke up sometime in 2017 or 2018 after the victim found the accused to be possessive and toxic.

She requested that he delete any photos and videos of her he had, which he agreed to, but was unaware he had kept them for his "viewing pleasure".

On Apr. 12, 2021, during the month of Ramadan, the accused texted the victim to seek forgiveness for his behaviour during the relationship.

He also asked to get back together with her, even though he was in a relationship with someone else.

However, the victim did not respond to his messages and instead blocked him, which enraged the accused.

He decided to humiliate her.

Uploading nudes

Prior to this, the accused had created an account on a pornography social media platform, "MeWe", where he joined several groups, including two involving non-consensual pornography.

One was an open-access group that allowed anyone on the platform to access its content, while the tudung group was a closed group requiring administrator access.

The platform had millions of users at this point.

The accused renamed his account into the victim's name, then proceeded to upload on the open-access group snippets of the victim engaging in a sex act.

Between Apr. 12, 2021 and May 24, 2021, he posted snippets of the same video about 10 times on that group.

Around the same time, he began posting the snippets on the tudung group.

He also posted a series of the victim's photos alongside the snippets in the tudung group.

Some were recent photos retrieved from the victim's Facebook page, while another was a selfie he had of the victim performing a sex act while clad in full religious garb, in which her face could be seen.

Knowing that the victim was attending religious education at this time, and that many of the members of the tudung group were Singaporean or Malaysian Malays, he captioned these photos "SG Madrasah Babe".

Two users were attracted by the accused's post and began following him on the platform, which in turn allowed him to view their pornographic content.

The trio would often discuss rape fantasies amongst themselves.

The accused would also personally send the snippets to other users on the tudung group, some of whom would re-post them.

Discovery

On May 22, 2021, the victim received an Instagram message from an unknown male sexually soliciting her as he was under the impression that she had posted her own nudes on "MeWe".

The victim then realised that someone was impersonating her and asked the man where he had obtained her nudes.

He, in turn, sent her a link to the tudung group.

Suspecting it was the accused who had shared her nudes, the victim was deeply distressed for a few days, but gathered up her courage and decided to undertake her own investigation.

She created an undercover account on the platform and joined the tudung group, where she was horrified to discover her images among many obscene posts of various tudung-clad women.

Realising that one of the user's accounts had various non-obscene photos of female religious leaders, the victim informed one of the religious leaders about it, and then lodged a police report.

Her efforts allowed authorities to investigate the tudung group and to request that MeWe shut it down.

On May 27, 2021, the police found that the group had 79,348 members.

When the news broke that same day, the accused panicked and deleted his MeWe account. He also deleted the intimate videos and photos he had retained of the victim on his cloud account.

He was arrested the next day.

His phone was seized, and the police were able to retrieve snapshots of the videos and photos retained by him.

On Sep. 20, 2023, the accused contacted the victim through an anonymous account on Telegram, trying to apologise to her, but she blocked him.

Victim suffered distress

The victim continued to suffer from distress from the offence.

As of June 2025, she continued to be contacted by her acquaintances about her intimate videos and images circulating on social media.

She did not seek therapy or psychological support as she felt it would be expensive.

The court noted that she tried to end her life but was stopped in time by her sister.

She continued to feel the emotional and mental strain of the impact and lived in constant fear that people would recognise her and that her nudes were still being distributed.

She also became estranged from her religious mother as a result of the incident.

Her friendships were affected, and she had not been able to enter a romantic relationship for five years due to trust issues.

In the immediate aftermath, the victim’s grades were affected due to stress and anxiety stemming from the offence.

She had initially considered being a female religious teacher herself, but decided not to work in the industry anymore, as she was afraid of the shame that would result if her nudes were discovered by others in the industry.

Charges

The accused pleaded guilty to one charge of intentionally distributing intimate content of the victim without her consent to humiliate her.

Calling it an egregious case of “revenge porn”, the prosecutor sought 30 to 36 months' jail, three strokes of the cane and S$5,000 in compensation to the victim, saying she was a minor and was identifiable in the snippets.

However, the defence sought 12 months' jail with no caning and S$500 in compensation.

He said as the accused had been driven by anger at the victim’s rejection, he committed the offence on impulse and opportunistically following the rejection of his request for forgiveness.

The judge considered the planning, preparation and premeditation by the accused and the impact his actions had on the victim.

He also noted that the accused had spoken of the victim in demeaning words on the platform.

Given the circumstances, the accused’s culpability was found to be at the "lower end of high".

A number of teens are retreating into extreme isolation, cutting themselves off from society completely.

The Japanese term, hikikomori, meaning "being pulled inward", refers to reclusive individuals who withdraw from social life into extreme isolation, a phenomenon that first gained prominence in 1990s Japan.

The reality of these "modern hermits" in Singapore is explored in the CNA documentary "Shutdown", which premiered on Jun. 22.

The documentary follows the lives of these hidden youths, including extreme cases like John (not his real name), who has not left his bedroom in nearly two years except to use the bathroom.

Locked in

Since November 2023, John's father, Chuah Soon Ann, said his son has locked himself in his room for nearly two years.

Despite his parents' daily attempts to reconnect, John has not responded to their efforts.

To minimise his trips to the bathroom, Chuah said that John even limits his daily water intake.

He only leaves his room in the dead of night when the rest of the family is asleep.

One psychiatrist even told Chuah that "there is nothing more we can do for your son", a statement that he said broke his heart.

Attempts by John's mother to enter the room have been met with anger, resulting in John banging on the doors or walls.

"You are at a loss, you are shocked, you are anxious... You don't know how to manage this child, you also don't know how to manage yourself because you yourself also don't know how to help the child."

Recalling the last time she saw John, she said that while she was changing his bedsheets, she accidentally bumped into him in the kitchen and he became very angry.

After that encounter, John locked himself in his room completely and refused to let his mother in.

Stepping out

On Jul. 31, 2025, John stepped out of his room for the first time in nearly two years.

Chuah recounted seeing his son for the first time, whose long hair had grown to cover his face like a veil.

"I was overjoyed, but at the same time, I was overwhelmed by the scene I saw."

Chuah noted that for almost two years, they had not seen him and immediately noticed his physical changes.

"He (had) grown taller. He didn't eat well [...] He's like totally destroyed – physically, mentally, emotionally."

When his mother saw him, she asked if he was okay and if he needed help.

For the first time, she received a response: John shook his head.

Following this breakthrough, his parents' sole focus became keeping him engaged so he would continue leaving his room.

Through the documentary, there are glimpses of progress and relapse.

After his first step out of the room, John began eating meals with his parents – a milestone his parents carefully tracked for four months.

However, he suddenly relapsed, retreating back into isolation, and communicating only through violent banging on the walls at night.

His parents suspect the relapse was triggered when his mobile phone stopped working.

The ordeal has taken a heavy toll on the family, so much so that they have stopped taking vacations with their two other children to focus on caring for John.

Despite the immense challenge, John's parents remain undeterred.

Chuah has since stepped forward to become an advocate for hikikomori youth, aiming to raise public awareness about the condition in Singapore.

Singapore's situation

Social service agency Fei Yue Community Services has logged over 100 cases of hikikomori youth since 2020, according to the documentary.

Benjamin Yeo, a lead social worker at Fei Yue Community Services, explained that while hikikomori youth do experience mental health issues, the cause of their isolation is not primarily triggered by mental illness.

"We see that very often, mental health is an effect of isolation, rather than the cause."

He added that supporting these youth requires "more than mental health treatment and intervention".

Although there are no studies or publications addressing this condition in Singapore yet, schools have reported an increase of students struggling with social anxiety and isolation.

Social workers expect these numbers to increase if left unaddressed.

Yeo estimates that the average age a youth goes into isolation is around 13, likely due to their transition into secondary school and mid-adolescence.

On average, such youth only encounter social workers at around 15.

By that point, the youth would have already been isolated for about a year and seven months before receiving help.

Without timely intervention, professionals warn that these youth risk remaining isolated well into adulthood.

You can watch the full three parts here:

]]> 1154813 https://mothership.sg/2026/06/china-girl-dies-unlicensed-pharmacist/ 2026-06-26T11:46:59 https://mothership.sg/2026/06/china-girl-dies-unlicensed-pharmacist/

A 12-year-old girl in China's Jilin Province died after taking seven different medications prescribed to her for a cough and cold by a pharmacy that was reportedly operating without a licensed pharmacist on duty.

Citing local Chinese media, Sin Chew Daily reported that the store's manager is also suspected of carrying out unauthorised medical activities.

The pharmacy now faces fines totalling RMB280,000 (about S$53,400).

What happened

According to Sin Chew Daily, the incident took place on May 1.

The girl, identified as Lu Jiaqi (transliteration), collapsed after taking the third dose of the medication that morning.

She reportedly stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest, and later passed away despite resuscitation attempts.

According to her older sister, after Lu developed cough and cold symptoms, their mother visited a nearby pharmacy to buy medication.

As the pharmacy's manager was away at the time, Lu's mother described her daughter's symptoms to him over the phone.

She was then given seven different medications that had reportedly been prepared by him, including licorice slices, prednisone and anti-inflammatory tablets.

The medications had been repackaged into individual packets and were sold without labels indicating their names, dosages, contraindications or expiry dates.

When Lu's mother left the pharmacy, she bumped into the manager, surnamed Xu, who was returning to the store.

Xu reportedly assured her that there was nothing wrong with the medications.

Initial medical reports

A presumptive death certificate issued by the hospital listed the cause of death as a heart attack, Sin Chew Daily reported.

A forensic report later found that Lu had died from acute heart failure caused by myocardial noncompaction cardiomyopathy, a rare congenital heart condition resulting from abnormal heart muscle development.

Although the forensic pathologist said the condition would have been difficult to detect clinically without an autopsy, the report stated that respiratory infection and the medications taken were contributing factors in her death.

It added that the cough suppressant she had taken was among the medications identified as contributing to the fatal outcome.

Case sparked public concern

The case sparked public concern over the pharmacy's decision to recommend seven different medications for a 12-year-old based solely on a telephone description of her symptoms, as well as whether dispensing the drugs in adult dosages met professional standards.

As reported in Sin Chew Daily, local market regulators said the pharmacy's pharmacist registration had expired in January 2026 and that the business was operating without a licensed pharmacist at the time of the incident.

The local health bureau also found that the pharmacy's manager had previously carried out unauthorised medical activities.

The pharmacy now faces a fine of RMB230,000 (about S$43,945) for operating without a licensed pharmacist, as well as a fine of RMB50,000 (about S$9,553) for conducting unauthorised medical activities.

Police said investigations are ongoing and that the health authorities have yet to determine the final cause of the incident.

Lu's family has also said it has not ruled out pursuing legal action.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) conducted enforcement operations at the Bugis, Somerset and Yishun areas over three days from Jun. 18 to 20, 2026, as part of ongoing enforcement patrols to detect vape-related offences.

A man, 44, was caught vaping, and had his vaporiser seized.

He was also fined on the spot.

Another individual, a boy, 17, was caught for underage smoking.

He has been referred to the Health Promotion Board (HPB) for cessation counselling, HSA said in a media statement on Jun. 25.

From May 1 to 31, 2026, the authorities caught and penalised 840 persons for the possession and use of vaporisers.

Of these, 678 were regular vaporiser offenders and the remaining 162 were etomidate vaporiser offenders.

Under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act, which came into force on May 1, 2026, persons found vaping can be fined up to S$10,000.

Those found vaping etomidate can be fined up to S$20,000, or face up to 10 years’ jail, or both.

Two Singaporean men were charged by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Jun. 25, 2026, for harbouring and employing immigration offenders.

According to a Jun. 25 ICA media release, the men charged are 62-year-old Kamarulzaman Bin Yahaya and 27-year-old Mohamad Elfie Hakim Bin Lokman.

62-year-old

Kamarulzaman was charged for harbouring a 54-year-old Filipina, Leonardo Federigan Leonora, who remained unlawfully in Singapore after her visit pass expired on Apr. 28, 2003.

Investigations by ICA found that despite knowing Leonora had overstayed in Singapore, Kamarulzaman allowed her to stay in his Bedok unit from March 2004 to March 2026.

She was subsequently convicted and sentenced to six months' jail and fined S$2,000, the release noted, adding that she was deported after completing her sentence and is barred from re-entering Singapore.

27-year-old

The release added that Elfie was charged for employing a 26-year-old Indian man, Kakadiya Avanit Rajubhai, who remained unlawfully in Singapore after his visit pass expired on Jun. 17, 2025.

ICA investigations found that Elfie had employed Kakadiya as a parcel delivery worker without conducting due diligence checks ensuring that he had a valid pass to remain in Singapore.

Kakadiya, who was later fined S$4,000, has since been deported and is barred from re-entering Singapore.

Penalties

ICA takes a firm stance against any person harbouring immigration offenders, it said in its release.

It added that 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:

(a) Check the tenant's original immigration/work pass;

(b) Cross check the particulars on their pass against the particulars on their original passport; and

(c) Verify the validity of their pass by checking with the issuing authority (i.e. the Ministry of Manpower for work passes and ICA for immigration passes – Student's Pass and Long-Term Visit Pass).

The release noted that a person found guilty of recklessly or knowingly harbouring overstayers and/or illegal immigrants may be sentenced to jail 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 jail for a term of up to 12 months, or to both.

Any person found guilty of employing overstayers and/or illegal immigrants may be sentenced to jail for a term of not less than six months and up to two years and a fine of up to S$6,000.

A 40-year-old Malaysian man, who used to be the chief executive officer (CEO) of a food delivery platform company, is now working as a food delivery rider.

Indera Aria Wee Jeeny, who had a company that began operations in 2019, recorded profits of up to RM6 million (S$1,88 million) and had 3,000 active food riders across Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah, Malaysia, New Straits Times reported.

Aria apparently did not come from a well-off family.

Downfall

According to Aria, his company was a strategic partner under the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation.

The company suffered losses when an individual allegedly sold an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a competitor for personal gain.

The situation worsened from January 2021 onwards.

Profits reportedly fell between RM40,000 (S$12,551) and RM80,000 (S$25,102) before the business was on the verge of collapsing.

Aria apparently sold assets to pay his employees.

Coins

Aria, who is a father of two, said his life changed completely when the company collapsed.

He apparently could not afford to eat and “even had to dig for coins to buy food”.

“I also had to walk long distances because I had no transport,” he said.

Aria also mentioned that he “began to notice changes in people” around him,

He theorised that they feared he “would ask to borrow money”.

"It was painful because when I was doing well, I had helped them," he told Harian Metro.

Motivation

Aria reportedly regained motivation after recalling the words of a former employee, who was a food rider who remained grateful.

The former employee apparently earned about RM20 (S$6.27) but "was very happy because he could buy food for his child.”

This made Aria motivated and made him “hope to rise again”.

Food rider

Aria currently works as a food rider and takes up jobs purchasing items for a fee of between RM5 (S$1.57) and RM10 (S$3.14).

He also helps people, especially those requiring assistance with vehicle batteries and tyres, whom he meets along the roadside.

“I meet people in need almost every night, and once came across a family who had not eaten for two weeks. I am not well off either, but I try to help as much as I can,” he recalled.

Aria apparently considers what happened in his life a test and a learning experience.

"I am also determined to rise again as a successful entrepreneur and create job opportunities, so I can help more people out there," he said.

Three major Singapore banks — DBS, OCBC, and UOB — and NETS have committed to providing an ATM, bank branch, or cashpoint within 500 metres of every HDB block by the end of 2027.

This is to ensure that seniors continue to have access to cash and physical banking channels, even as Singapore moves towards digital payments, said the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) on Jun. 25.

This comes as part of a suite of 20 initiatives by ABS, to better serve the banking needs of seniors in Singapore.

As an interim target, the three banks and NETS will work towards installing an ATM, branch, or cashpoint within 500 metres of key public amenities by the end of this year.

Amenities include public transport hubs, hawker centres, and major supermarkets. Cashpoints are participating merchants, such as supermarkets, that allow consumers to withdraw cash using their bank ATM or debit card while making a purchase via NETS.

The needs of seniors

The 20 initiatives were published in a playbook, "Banking a Longevity Society", on Jun. 25.

Speaking at the ABS annual dinner the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong pointed out that Singapore now has one in five citizens aged 65 and above, himself included.

"As our population ages, the financial needs of seniors will become even more important," he said.

He added that while some seniors are digitally confident, others may need more help, and banks must respond to this diversity.

"For seniors, trust is built not only through better apps. It is built through clearer choices, safer systems, easier processes, and better support when it matters.

I commend the ABS for making a concerted effort to examine how the sector can better serve an ageing society."

Other initiatives

Other initiatives in the playbook include improving processes to simplify and clarify matters of estate administration, as well as providing greater support to vulnerable seniors.

Currently, the different banks have different procedures for administrative tasks, such as the lasting power of attorney (LPA), deputyship, and closing accounts for the deceased.

They plan to align their procedures and publish a standardised resource of frequently asked questions (FAQs), to provide clearer guidance to families and caregivers by the first quarter of 2027.

Furthermore, also by 2027, the three banks intend to introduce a common set of guidelines to help frontline banking staff identify and respond to possible signs of cognitive decline in customers.

This will enable staff to better support seniors at greater risk of financial abuse, scams, or other harm.

Moping around at home, and unsure of what to do on weekday nights or weekends? Why not check out REMIX 2026?

Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre’s (SCCC) annual youth festival will be back from Jul. 3 to 12 this year, and will be featuring a variety of fun activities and immersive performances.

Head down to try out a mass escape game, join in an impromptu jazz session, or simply chill to some dance and music.

In more good news, eligible Singapore citizens can also use their SG Culture Pass credits to offset ticket prices for paid activities and performances.

Activities

REMIX The Mission: Ah Ma’s Secret Recipe

Combine brain cells with your friends by participating in this clue-solving mission.

Encompassing the whole SCCC building, “Ah Ma’s Secret Recipe” will test your knowledge of local culture and dialects.

What’s more, you’ll get your steps in as you explore the building.

Price: S$8 per participant, S$28 per group of four, S$36 per group of six (includes booking fees)

Dates: Jul. 4, 5, 11, 12; 1pm - 8:30pm (last entry: 6:30pm)

DIY milk tea at Botanica Brews

Quench your thirst at Botanica Brews, an interactive experience where you can make your own roasted milk tea for just S$2.

Customise your own herbal tea blend by choosing your tea base, and then selecting from a variety of ingredients such as osmanthus, mulberry, tangerine peels, lavender, dried pears and goji berries.

This drinks bar is presented in collaboration with AMACHA, a local brand known for crafting Singapore’s first TCM-inspired herbal milk tea.

Price: S$2 per cup

Dates: Jul. 3-5, 10-12

Mytime Airtime

Do you have a hidden musical talent that you’ve been dying to show the world? Bring your own instrument along and join REMIX 2026’s Mytime Airtime “Open Jam with annsiangsounds” or join “Open Mic Done The Jazz Way”, if you’re fan of the jazz genre.

Whether you’re a performer or simply there to watch, everyone is in for some good tunes.

Price: Free

Dates: Jul. 5 (Open Jam) & Jul. 11 (Open Mic)

Performances

REMIX 2026’s attendees can also enjoy immersive theatre experiences, such as “Finding X”, which focuses on a Singaporean girl named X, struggling with her identity.

As per the show’s description:

“Finding X lays bare the struggles of a Singaporean girl wrestling with expectations about beauty, gender and social roles shaped by family, peers and social media.”

Dates:

Jul. 3-5, 10-12: 8pm

Jul. 4-5, 11-12: 2:30pm and 5pm

Meanwhile, horror fans can check out “ff”, a horror-themed musical theatre experience with accompanying Chinese orchestra music, set in a haunted school CCA practice room.

Dates: Jul. 4, 7pm and Jul. 5, 3pm and 7pm

Both performances cost S$28 including a S$3 booking fee.

Aside from these highlights, there will also be creative markets on Jul. 4, 5, 11 and 12, featuring local crafts, as well as more performances by Singapore’s youth jazz collective The Jazzlings and local singers Ben Hum, Marcus Lee and Jarvis Quek Shao Bin.

All drinks at Afterhours Livehouse are also on the house.

Dance and singing competitions will also see groups battle it out on the stage, and attendees can marvel at their smooth moves or sweet vocals.

Find out more about REMIX 2026 and purchase tickets here.

This branded article is brought to you by SCCC.

A 27-year-old Filipino man was sentenced to six weeks’ jail after he came to Singapore for a vacation and took upskirt videos of six women over the span of three hours.

Usi Christian Jior Orlino pleaded guilty to three out of six charges of voyeurism, Shin Min Daily News reported.

The remaining charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Orlino was on vacation in Singapore and was staying with his girlfriend at the time of the offence.

Chinatown Point

In charge sheets seen by Mothership, five of the six offences were committed at stores located at Chinatown Point on Nov. 6, 2025, from about 6:48pm to about 8:05pm.

According to Shin Min, in one incident, he placed his phone under the skirt of a woman wearing a blue dress at a bakery.

He activated the camera and filmed for about 33 seconds.

Orlino also used the same method on another woman at a pharmacy, where he recorded a video lasting about 19 seconds.

Outram Park MRT station

He then reportedly took the MRT from Chinatown station to Outram Park station to head back to his accommodation.

At about 9pm, he had already taken the escalator to leave the station platform.

However, he noticed a woman in a black dress along the way.

Orlino decided to return to the platform.

He then placed his phone between the woman’s legs, below her dress and proceeded to record a video of her genital region.

Two passengers who were taking the escalator down to the platform witnessed the act and stepped forward to stop him.

Orlino was handed over to station staff, and a police report was lodged.

He was subsequently arrested, and the videos were extracted from his phone.

Turned back to specifically film

The prosecution urged the judge to sentence Orlino to six weeks’ jail, saying that he had already left on the escalator but turned back specifically to film the woman.

Orlino’s lawyers said in mitigation that it was his first offence, and even though the case involved six women, they were all committed on the same day.

He pleaded for leniency.

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of 12-year-old Koon Hui Lin.

She was last seen wearing a black t-shirt and grey pants in the vicinity of Block 131 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 on Jun. 24 at about 10am.

Anyone with information is requested to call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.

All information will be kept strictly confidential.