JustUpdateOnline.com – A former cook with the Republic of Singapore Navy has been sentenced to prison for his involvement in the sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old secondary school student. Owen Toh Wei Song, 26, received a 12-month jail sentence on Tuesday after admitting to charges of causing a minor to engage in sexual activity.
The case also involves Toh’s former partner, 39-year-old Chaw Chia Jun, who held the rank of captain in the Singapore Army at the time of the offense.
Court proceedings revealed that the victim had been searching for social connections online in early 2024 when he encountered Toh on a forum. The two began communicating via Telegram, during which Toh became fully aware of the boy’s age and his status as a student preparing for national examinations. Despite this knowledge, the conversations eventually shifted toward explicit sexual topics.
Toh eventually orchestrated a physical meeting that included Chaw. In June 2024, the two men picked up the teenager and drove to a multi-story parking garage in Punggol. Seeking privacy, they parked on a quiet upper level where the sexual abuse occurred.
According to the prosecution, Toh engaged in sexual acts with the minor while Chaw filmed the encounter. Although the victim refused some of Chaw’s specific requests, other sexual activities took place before the meeting concluded. Toh later kept a copy of the recorded footage on his personal computer.
The situation was uncovered when the victim’s family grew suspicious of his behavior and the gifts he had been receiving from an older individual. After being questioned by his mother and sister, the teenager disclosed the encounter, leading to a formal police report in October 2024.
During the sentencing phase, Deputy Public Prosecutor Maximilian Chew argued for a prison term of 14 to 16 months, describing Toh as the "architect" of the incident. The prosecution emphasized the power imbalance between the two adult men and the vulnerable minor in a secluded location.
In contrast, Toh’s legal team argued for a shorter sentence of 10 months. The defense claimed that the victim had initiated the online contact and expressed a desire to explore certain sexual topics. They also noted that the misconduct was limited to a single occurrence.
While Toh has begun his sentence, Chaw is expected to enter a formal plea in court next month. Under Singaporean law, individuals convicted of causing a minor under 16 to engage in sexual penetration face severe penalties, including up to a decade in prison, heavy fines, or both.
