Club hostess jailed for drug offences; suspected supplier boyfriend fell to his death on CNB arrival

SINGAPORE: A woman who came to Singapore to work as a club hostess began taking cannabis after being introduced to the drug by her Singaporean boyfriend.

But when Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers showed up at her boyfriend's flat, he subsequently fell to his death and she was arrested.

South Korean Jeon Suji, 32, was sentenced to jail on Wednesday (Aug 14) for just over two years. Jeon, however, will be released on the same day as she has been remanded for about the same time.

Jeon pleaded guilty to one charge each of possessing and consuming drugs. Another two charges under the Misuse of Drugs Act were taken into consideration.

According to Jeon's lawyers, Ms Mimi Ahn and Ms Genesa Tan from Focus Law Asia, her father worked for Hyundai Steel but died when she was 23.

HER BACKGROUND, ACCORDING TO DEFENCE

She first moved to Singapore in January 2021 to work as a hostess at the Illusions club in Clarke Quay.

This was after an acquaintance recommended the job to her. Back in Korea, she had worked part-time jobs, including selling clothes online.

Jeon returned to Korea briefly when the club she worked at closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned to work at another club, E9, in February 2022.

She met her boyfriend, Singaporean Derrick Liew, a month later while she was working at the club.

According to Jeon's lawyers, Mr Liew told her that he was separated from his Korean wife.

In mid-May 2022, the pair began dating and Jeon moved into Mr Liew's flat. 

Mr Liew would allegedly offer cannabis to Jeon at home, and the pair would take the drug together. Jeon's lawyers claimed she had taken drugs only once before, when she was offered it at a club.

On Jul 7, 2022, Jeon was woken up by Mr Liew, who said the police were at the door.

According to Jeon's lawyers, Mr Liew then began to climb out of an open window. He fell from the window ledge and later died.

CNB officers arrested Jeon and seized several exhibits from the flat that turned out to contain at least 4.05g of cannabis.

Jeon admitted that the "weed" was for her own personal consumption.

She provided urine samples, which also tested positive for a cannabinol derivative.

Jeon's lawyers said she was remanded for psychiatric assessment, with the doctor who examined her stating that she was "anxious and intermittently tearful".

She also appeared to be "in denial of the reality of her boyfriend's death as she repeatedly sought details of what had happened to him, despite the fact that she had witnessed him fall to the ground from the 15th floor".

She was diagnosed with panic disorder.

Jeon's lawyers sought 22 months' jail, saying that she deeply regrets the incident and is a first-time offender who pleaded guilty early.

SOBERING DRUG STATISTICS: JUDGE

In sentencing, District Judge Paul Quan cited "sobering statistics" on Singapore's current drug situation, with the number of drug abusers increasing by 10 per cent from the year before and the number of cannabis users reaching a 10-year high.

The judge said the "spiralling" global situation is also a "grim reminder of the alternate reality that we in Singapore will otherwise have to contend with if we let up on our war against drugs".

"Despite ongoing efforts ... harm caused by drug offences is creeping up in Singapore, as we begin to witness our fair share of grisly crime attributed to drug use on our shores," said Judge Quan.

"It cannot be gainsaid that the price to be paid is eternal vigilance."

He said the fact that Jeon was a casual drug user is "somewhat counter-balanced" by the fact that it was her boyfriend who offered her the drug.

The judge did not consider her a first-time offender.

He reiterated that foreigners living in Singapore will be held to the same standards as citizens when it comes to transgressions of the law, and they should be expected to uphold "the laws of our land, just as they would in their own countries".