Filipina Overstayed 22 Years in a Bedok Flat: What ICA’s Harbouring Charges Mean for You
Two Singaporean men face charges for sheltering or hiring people who overstayed. One was a Filipina who lived in a Bedok flat for 22 years before her pass caught up with her. Here is what every Filipino who rents out a room or hires help in SG should know.
A visit pass that expired in 2003. A Bedok flat. Twenty-two years of staying out of sight. That is the timeline at the centre of the immigration case Singapore authorities made public this week, and one of the two people who overstayed is a Filipina.
On Jun. 25, 2026, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) charged two Singaporean men for harbouring and employing immigration offenders. Both men face the courts. Both people they sheltered or hired have already been convicted, deported, and barred from returning to Singapore.
The 22-year overstay
ICA charged Kamarulzaman Bin Yahaya, 62, for harbouring Leonardo Federigan Leonora, a 54-year-old Filipina. Her visit pass expired on Apr. 28, 2003. She stayed on without legal status.
ICA found that Kamarulzaman knew she had overstayed and still let her live in his Bedok unit from March 2004 to March 2026. The court convicted Leonora, sentenced her to six months' jail, and fined her S$2,000. She was deported after serving her term and cannot re-enter Singapore.
Twenty-two years in one flat, and the record now follows her for life.
The delivery job behind the second charge
The second case is recent. ICA charged Mohamad Elfie Hakim Bin Lokman, 27, for employing Kakadiya Avanit Rajubhai, a 26-year-old Indian national whose visit pass expired on Jun. 17, 2025.
ICA found that Elfie hired Kakadiya as a parcel delivery worker without checking whether he held a valid pass to remain in Singapore. The court fined Kakadiya S$4,000. He has been deported and barred.
Why this matters to Filipinos in Singapore
Many of us rent rooms, sublet a spare bunk, or pass small jobs to a kababayan who needs the cash. These two cases show how fast that goodwill turns into a criminal charge.
The danger runs both ways:
If you overstay, even one expired pass can end in jail, a fine, deportation, and a lifetime ban. Leonora's case proves the clock never resets, no matter how many years pass.
If you shelter or hire someone who overstayed, you carry your own charge. Failing to check is no defence. ICA expects you to verify status first.
What the law asks before you rent out a room or hire help
ICA wants every landlord and employer to run three checks before handing over a key or a job:
1. Look at the original pass. Ask for the physical immigration or work pass, not a photo or a promise.
2. Match it to the passport. Cross-check the name and details on the pass against the original passport.
3. Verify it with the issuer. Confirm the pass is valid with the Ministry of Manpower for work passes, or with ICA for Student's Passes and Long-Term Visit Passes.
The penalties, in plain numbers
Knowingly or recklessly harbouring an overstayer: jail of six months to two years, plus a fine up to S$6,000.
Negligently harbouring an overstayer: a fine up to S$6,000, or up to 12 months' jail, or both.
Employing an overstayer: jail of six months to two years, plus a fine up to S$6,000.
ICA said it takes a firm stance against anyone who harbours immigration offenders.
If your own pass sits close to its expiry date, sort it before the date passes. Renew your Philippine passport early, keep your work pass current, and never let a lapse stretch into a problem you cannot undo.
