http://www.asiansexgazette.com/asg/southeast_asia/southeast07news08.htmFebruary 9, 2006
The sickly and lonely bachelor spends his days cooped up in a two-room HDB flat.
So when a pretty student from China asked him to marry her, the prospect seemed too tantalising to refuse.
"My family needs help," the woman, in her 20s, is alleged to have told him. "Give me $6,000 for dowry and we can have a trial wedding.
"During this period, I will take care of your daily meals, even fulfilling your sexual needs," she said.
In her offer, spelt out in a note that Jo showed journalists, allegedly she promised to see to his daily needs, cleaning his home and fulfilling all the duties of an intimate girlfriend - including massaging him and satisfying all his sexual needs.
The man, in his 50s, who wants to be known only as Jo, fell for the woman, and her offer.
Jo claimed that she appeared at his doorstep one day claiming that a matchmaking agency had sent her.
So by borrowing money, he managed to cough up about half the dowry she asked for and gave it to the Chinese national, who is in Singapore on a student pass.
Now the man is in a fix.
Not only has she "disappeared" from his life, she has turned around and accused him of sexual harassment and attempted rape.
He discovered this when the police visited his Toa Payoh flat in late November.
Questioned for 5 Hours
"The police came over to my place and spent more than five hours interrogating me.
"They (the woman and her boyfriend) had retaliated by filing a police report, claiming that I had sexually harassed the woman and even tried to rape her."
Jo said he filed a police report first, saying he was cheated. Police confirmed last night that Jo had previously filed a report.
And Jo, who is jobless, is struggling to pay a friend the money he had borrowed for the dowry. He claims he depends on welfare, friends and relatives for meals and other necessities.
Jo, who is wheelchair-bound because he suffers from occasional dizziness, thyroid disease and high blood pressure, is worried.
Speaking to journalists from behind his padlocked gate last night, Jo said, "I really don"t know how I could have fallen for the ruse. She had seemed sincere enough. Somehow I was taken in."
Jo alleged that the woman first approached him in November 2004.
Decent-Looking
She was decently dressed and quite attractive.
"I had not sought the services of any matchmaking agency. Maybe my yearning for companionship clouded my ability to judge soundly," he said in fluent English. "It did not cross my mind then that this was a trap."
To prove his claims, Jo showed us various documents that included copies of the woman"s passport, the matrimonial contract that she had drafted and signed, a student protection scheme certificate of student insurance (which she had taken from NTUC Income) in October 2004, and three remittance slips to her hometown in China.
Shortly after the last transaction, the woman began avoiding Jo.
He alleges, "She refused to take my calls.
"Finally, I used another friend's handphone to call her, but she denied promising me anything before disconnecting the call."
A few days later, the woman visited his home with a man who claimed to be her friend.
"He was very rude and warned me to stop harassing the woman," said Jo.
"After some argument, he said that he would now undertake to repay the sum of money, in $100 monthly instalments," he claimed.
Reporters visited the Jurong West flat which was the woman's last-known address.
The landlord, who only wanted to be known as Mr Tan, said that she moved out late last month. He confirmed that she had rented a room from him for $150 a month.
He added, "However, she only managed to pay me $100 because she said she had financial difficulties.
"I did not really bother about it.
"After about 1 1/2 months, she told me that she would be moving out, and did so two days later."
Mr Tan said that he did not press her for the remaining sum, and that he was unaware of her problems with Jo.
But he added, "I know that she had brought a man home on several occasions. But I don"t really know how he looked like since I was working most of the time."
He added that he did not know where she had moved to, or if she is still in Singapore.
Reporters also attempted to confirm Jo"s allegation with the woman's friend, Mr T.
He said, "I don"t want to say anything. I"m leaving it to my lawyer to handle everything."
Meanwhile, Jo remains confined by a relative to the flat because of his medical problems, and is worried about the money and the potential police investigation.
"I am in debt because of this woman. Even my power supply has been cut off.
"I can only blame my own foolishness.
"But I hope that justice will prevail. And that lonely Singaporean men should be more cautious. Please do not allow your urge for love cloud your senses."
