Suwandi Marchuke misappropriated money from over 200 people who had signed up for the umrah. - ST/ANN
SINGAPORE: A man was sentenced to three and a half years and four weeks’ jail on Jan 27 after he misappropriated around S$470,000 (US$370,419) from more than 200 people who had signed up for the umrah, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia.
The customers received no updates on arrangements for the umrah, and found out in November 2015 that it would not take place in December of that year.
Following a trial, Suwandi Marchuke, 58, was convicted in July 2025 of one count each of criminal breach of trust and acting as a manager of Bil Hikmah Consultants from around September 2014 to March 2016 while he was a declared bankrupt.
District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan also found him guilty of five counts of intentionally aiding the company to conduct the business of a travel agent without a licence.
Before handing down the sentence on Jan 27, the judge noted that the trip was faith-related, with a significant number of affected customers.
It was not stated in court documents what happened to the money or whether Suwandi had made any restitution to the victims.
In earlier proceedings, the court heard that Suwandi, who is also known as Andy Martiin and Datuk Andy Martiin, was declared bankrupt on Aug 22, 2013.
Bil Hikmah was registered in Singapore on Feb 13, 2014.
In or before September 2014, the company began offering umrah packages called Pakej Umrah Mampu Pergi (“affordable umrah package” in Malay), or Pump 2015.
The trip was slated to take place in 2015, from Dec 12 to 22, with flights and accommodation included in the deal.
The price for each individual was S$1,998, with additional fees for extras. There was also a registration fee of S$150.
Court documents stated that the package price was substantially lower than the market price for umrah packages, which typically cost between S$3,000 and S$3,500, or more.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ryan Lim and Assistant Public Prosecutor Chye Jer Yuan stated in their submissions that the registered partners of the company were Suwandi’s brother-in-law, Abdul Sulaiman Hussain, and Siti Rohani Kusno.
The prosecutors said: “Both confirmed that they held those positions in name only, having agreed to ‘lend their names’ to the accused.”
The prosecutors stressed that Bil Hikmah never held a licence to conduct the business of a travel agent.
Despite this, more than 200 customers signed up for Pump 2015.
The court heard that as at November 2015, Bil Hikmah had not booked any hotels or flights. It also had not made arrangements for visas, vaccinations or pre-travel religious classes.
The prosecutors told Judge Shaiffudin: “Customers received no news about the arrangements for the trip. At a meeting on Nov 7, 2015, it was suddenly announced that the trip would not take place.”
The police arrested Suwandi two days later.
The offender was not represented by a lawyer, and was accompanied to court on Jan 27 by two women, including his elderly mother, who was in a wheelchair.
Suwandi’s voice appeared choked with emotion as he asked the judge if he could start serving his sentence in March, after Hari Raya.
He told the judge that he was the sole caregiver for his critically ill mother, and that he would like to spend one last Hari Raya with the 88-year-old woman.
His bail was set atS $20,000, and he is expected to start his jail term on March 23. - The Straits Times/ANN
