Man took job as sex workers’ police lookout in Geylang, gets jail

Magandran took up the job and rode his bicycle in the area from Dec 27, 2025 to around Feb 10, 2026.

He would look out for the police from around 9pm to 5am the next day, calling Subash whenever he spotted any officers.

An average of about 15 sex workers engaged these services each day, each paying S$10 per day in cash to Subash, who would split the collected money and give Magandran his share of S$60 to S$70.

One such worker entered Singapore in December 2025 to ply her sex trade illegally on the introduction of a friend.

Around Dec 27, 2025, Subash approached this woman while she was soliciting for customers at Lorong 22, Geylang and offered her the services for S$10 a day.

The woman accepted. On at least 48 occasions, she paid S$10 in cash to Subash for the services, with a total gratification of S$480 as a reward for services aiding sex work.

The police received intelligence about the services provided by the two men and arrested them at Lorong 22, Geylang on Feb 10, 2026.

Subash’s case is pending.

The prosecutor sought 14 to 17 weeks’ jail for Magandran, as well as an additional term of 19 to 23 weeks for breaching remission.

He said Magandran was not only a repeat offender but one who repeatedly attempted to commit the offences almost daily.

The offences occurred over two-and-a-half months, with the men getting an average of about 15 sex workers to engage their services daily.

The prosecutor added that Magandran has low rehabilitative prospects, since he offended on the very day that he was released.

As a repeat offender, he could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined up to S$150,000 for receiving gratification to aid sex work.

For aiding an attempt to obstruct justice, an offender can be jailed for up to seven years, fined, or both.