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Metro founder's grandson Ong Jenn handed more jail time for using cannabis

Metro founder's grandson Ong Jenn handed more jail time for using cannabis

Ong Jenn, grandson of the founder of Metro, arriving at the State Courts on Feb 3, 2017. (Photo: Robin Choo/TODAY)

SINGAPORE: Metro family scion Ong Jenn, who is in jail for attempted drug possession, had an additional sentence of two years and two months meted out to him on Thursday (Apr 25).

The 43-year-old received the extra jail time for one charge of consuming cannabis and two counts of possessing the drug, which is also known as weed.

Ong pleaded guilty to the offences, which were uncovered about five years ago. The court heard that Ong was arrested by Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers at a taxi stand at Ngee Ann City in October 2014.

They took him to his home, where he admitted that he kept a block of weed inside a safe in his bedroom. 

CNB officers found a block of vegetable matter wrapped in plastic and aluminium foil and loose vegetable matter in a plastic container, both of which were later confirmed to contain cannabis.

Investigations revealed that Ong had bought a block of weed weighing about 500g from his supplier for S$5,000 earlier that month.

All the weed he had was meant for his own consumption, and his urine samples showed that he had taken the drug recently.

The court heard that Ong, the grandson of the founder of Singapore’s iconic Metro department stores, first started smoking weed when he was 21 and studying overseas. He continued the habit when he returned to Singapore, smoking once a week. This habit grew to two to three joints every night in the six months before his arrest.

Ong is currently serving a three-year jail sentence for attempting to possess drugs - a sentence that had been increased from two years after a High Court judge granted the prosecution's appeal.

The judge had increased his jail term days before he was due to be released for home detention on Nov 10 last year. He had begun serving sentence from July 2017, and will start his new sentence from Wednesday.

Source: CNA/ll(mi)

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