Landlord jailed for secretly filming female tenant with hidden camera in shared bathroom
A 42-year-old Malaysian man has been sentenced to 18 weeks in jail after pleading guilty to secretly filming his female tenant in the shared bathroom of their flat.
His actions were exposed when the tenant discovered a power bank he had used to keep the hidden camera running.
Source: Court documents via Shin Min Daily News
The device had come loose and was left hanging beneath the sink, leading to her discovery of the camera.
Installed camera to target specific female tenant
The man, Zhang Jiesen (name transliterated from Chinese), and his wife had rented a Housing Development Board (HDB) flat before subletting rooms to two men and two women.
In October 2023, Zhang, who is also a Singapore permanent resident, purchased a mini camera and a memory card.
The following month, he began secretly installing the camera in the shared bathroom.
He typically placed the camera between 6pm and 7pm, timing it with the return of a specific female tenant from work.
To avoid detection, he either stuck the device under a shelf using Blu Tack or concealed it in a transparent plastic container on the lowest shelf, positioning the lens towards the sink, toilet, or shower area.
Each night at around 9pm, he would retrieve the camera, download footage of the female tenant, and delete the recordings of the other three tenants.
Power bank used after camera battery began to fail
By February 2024, the camera’s battery life had begun to deteriorate, prompting Zhang to attach a power bank to keep it running.
He taped the power bank beneath the sink, attempting to conceal it.
On the evening of 25 April 2024, however, the female tenant noticed the power bank dangling under the sink.
Source: golfbress on Canva, for illustration purposes only
Upon closer inspection, she discovered the hidden camera.
Shocked by the discovery, she removed the memory card, inserted it into her computer, and was horrified to find footage of herself being secretly filmed.
After deleting the video, she placed the camera and power bank in the kitchen.
When Zhang returned home around 10pm that night, he realised his crime had been uncovered.
In a panic, he quickly deleted all the recorded footage from his computer.
Landlord’s wife calls him a ‘good husband’
Zhang was arrested on 30 April 2024, after police discovered six obscene videos on his mobile phone and the memory card of the hidden camera.
Each video ranged from 10 to 30 minutes in length.
The investigation revealed that Zhang had installed the hidden camera six times over a period of five months.
He was charged with three offences: voyeurism, obstruction of justice, and breaching the Films Act of 1981.
Zhang pleaded guilty to one charge, with the remaining two taken into consideration during sentencing.
In a bid for leniency, Zhang’s wife described him as a “good husband” who deserved a lighter sentence.
Ultimately, he was sentenced to 18 weeks’ imprisonment on Wednesday (2 April).
Also read: Elderly S’porean landlord installs pinhole cameras to film female tenant, gets 10 months’ jail
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Featured image adapted from Jupiterimages on Canva, for illustration purposes only, and court documents via Shin Min Daily News.
