SINGAPORE – A man who hosted a house party for 36 people where various drugs, including Ecstasy, were shared has been sentenced to jail of two years and one week.
Edmund Zachary Ong Wei Ming co-hosted the party in March 2022 despite Covid-19 restrictions, which limited group sizes to a maximum of five people.
The 33-year-old was handed the sentence on June 18 after pleading guilty in May to three charges.
They include one count of ketamine consumption, for which he was jailed for one year. This is the minimum sentence for the offence.
Ong also received two years’ jail for allowing the unit to be used for drug consumption, and one week’s jail for breaching Covid-19 restrictions.
The consumption sentence was ordered to run concurrently with the other two sentences.
Two other drug consumption charges were taken into consideration during his sentencing.
District Judge Crystal Tan said deterrence was the predominant consideration in sentencing Ong.
She said the custodial threshold was crossed in the case, but noted that Ong did not have a prior criminal record and had pleaded guilty.
Ong co-hosted the birthday party at a unit at The Springs condominium in Moulmein Rise with Jonathan Goh Wai Sern.
He had been renting a room there from Goh, Deputy Public Prosecutor Quek Lu Yi told the court at the hearing earlier.
The 35-year-old Goh, a Malaysian, was previously reported to be on the run, with a warrant of arrest issued against him.
The pair had hosted a party for Tan Chun Yeow. It started at around 7pm on March 26, 2022, with 34 guests turning up.
At the party, they all ate, danced, sang karaoke and consumed alcohol and drugs.
DPP Quek said: “The accused admitted that there were a few cups of red wine mixed with crushed tablets of Ecstasy… which were being passed around and consumed by the attendees.
“There were also tablets of Ecstasy being consumed. He knew that others at the party were consuming drugs, including Ecstasy, and allowed this to continue.”