Jail and caning for repeat drug offender who used friend’s NRIC to rent cars

The company repossessed the vehicle on Oct 10, 2024.

Investigations showed that Ong had used his friend’s details to rent two more cars from a different company in April 2025.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Joel Fun told the court that Ong’s friend received summons letters from the Housing Board and the Urban Redevelopment Authority regarding the rental cars on June 17, 2025.

His friend lodged a police report.

Drug and weapon possession charges

On March 19, 2025, Ong was arrested at his home. Officers who searched the premises found packets of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Ong’s urine also tested positive for methamphetamine.

He was arrested again on June 24, 2025, in a rental flat, where officers once again found drugs on him.

They also found a knuckleduster in the unit. Ong admitted that he had bought it when he was in primary school. He said he knew it was an offence to keep the knuckleduster but had kept it because he liked it.

The DPP sought a jail term of between four years, four months and four weeks and four years, nine months and five weeks for Ong.

He also asked for six strokes of the cane, an $800 fine and a two-year driving disqualification to take effect upon Ong’s release from prison.

The DPP said that Ong’s offences involved the fraudulent use of his friend’s official documents.

Ong had also deceived the rental company into renting the cars to him.

He said: “The deception by the accused allowed him to obtain access to a motor vehicle despite lacking a valid driving licence.

“This created a high level of potential harm, which the accused did actualise by driving the vehicle without a valid driving licence or insurance, posing a danger to other road users.”

The prosecutor added that Ong was admitted to a drug rehabilitation centre in 2018 for consuming methamphetamine.

For driving without a valid licence, an offender can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to three years, or both.

For cheating by personation, an offender may be jailed for up to five years, fined, or both.