On January 13, 2026, the Singapore courts sentenced 27-year-old Cheong Wee Kiat to four months and eight weeks of imprisonment for his involvement in a distressing case of criminal intimidation and computer misuse. The case, which involves the exploitation of bank accounts and a subsequent act of "punishment" that the prosecution described as unnatural and deeply humiliating, began with a desire for easy cash and ended in a violent, degrading confrontation.
The legal troubles for Cheong started in March 2022 when his friend, identified in court documents as A1, expressed a desire to earn extra money. Cheong was aware that another individual, known as Tan, was actively seeking bank accounts in exchange for cash payments. Cheong acted as a middleman, introducing A1 to Tan with the understanding that A1 would open a bank account and relinquish control of it to Tan. Cheong was further motivated by the promise of a commission from Tan if the account remained operational for a significant period.
Following this introduction, A1 opened a corporate bank account with OCBC and handed over the ATM card and internet banking credentials to Tan. Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicole Tay noted that Cheong was fully aware that A1 was giving up control of the account to a third party. Shortly after, A1’s father discovered bank statements showing large sums of money—totalling more than $147,000—being moved through the account. Fearing legal repercussions, the father confronted A1, who then closed the account and filed a police report on April 16, 2022. At the time it was frozen, the account contained over $25,000.
Unaware of the police report or the freeze, Tan and Cheong assumed that A1 had intentionally closed the account to steal the remaining funds for himself. A1, frightened of being held liable for the "missing" money, cut off all contact with the duo. This silence only reinforced their suspicion that A1 had pocketed the cash. On September 12, 2022, Cheong, Tan, and four other individuals tracked A1 down at the void deck of his home to demand repayment.
During this initial confrontation, the situation turned physical when Cheong punched A1 in the face, causing a laceration on his eyebrow. Under duress, A1 agreed to work to pay off the supposed debt. However, the group was not satisfied with a mere promise of repayment. The following day, they decided to inflict a degrading "punishment" on A1. They filled a 1.5-litre bottle with their urine and forced A1 to consume it. Fearing further physical violence, A1 drank three-quarters of the bottle before the remaining liquid was poured over his head.
The act was recorded on a mobile phone by Tan, though the footage was later deleted. Before leaving, Cheong seized A1’s NRIC, Passion Card, and an ATM card as collateral. A1 reported the assault and humiliation to the police on September 14, 2022, leading to Cheong’s arrest that same day.
In court, the prosecution emphasized the severity of both the computer misuse and the intimidation charges. DPP Tay argued that relinquishing bank accounts is a serious threat to the financial system, as such accounts are frequently used by syndicates for laundering scam proceeds. Furthermore, she condemned the act of forcing someone to ingest urine as an egregious violation of human dignity. Cheong expressed remorse for his actions and was granted a deferment to settle personal matters. He is scheduled to begin his jail term on February 27, 2026.
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