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By Elena Chong
An unemployed man who changed the payees in several stolen cheques to himself was jailed for 26 months on Wednesday.
Ho Kuo Hsing, 37, admitted to five charges of forging bank cheques totalling $70,386 on Aug 26 last year.
Assistant Public Prosecutor Santhra Aiyyasamy said Ho found a bag on the floor at OCBC Bank at East Point Shopping Centre in Simei two days earlier and decided to take it out to check the contents.
On discovering cheques inside, he decided to alter the payee of the cheques to his name.
He also indicated his personal UOB bank account on the back of the cheques.
The court heard that a logistics company delivery driver had retrieved a bag containing 31 cheques at the OCBCBank's quick cheque deposit box and placed it on the floor.
He then entered the bank counter to collect another bag.
When he returned, he found the bag missing and reported to the police.
Ho went to United Overseas Bank at New Upper Changi Road twice on Aug 26 to present two cheques for clearance.
The counter staff processed the requests, but the bank branch manager discovered discrepancies later and put the transactions on hold.
Ten other charges were considered during his sentencing.
Ho has previous convictions for theft and causing hurt.
He could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined on each charge.
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