SINGAPORE: A former Scoot cabin crew member who misappropriated nearly S$40,000 from the low-cost carrier has been sentenced to seven months’ jail after he failed to make full restitution.
Luqman Hakim Shahfawi, 32, had informed the court back in February that he intended to make full restitution and had managed to raise $10,000 at that point.
District Judge Lau Qiuyu then granted him an adjournment so that he could raise more funds.
But on March 27, Deputy Public Prosecutor Janessa Phua said that Luqman managed to raise another $1,000 only – bringing the total restitution amount to $11,000.
Before he was sentenced, Luqman, who did not have legal representation, asked Judge Lau for another adjournment to allow him time to raise more funds.
She replied that the court could not adjourn the case indefinitely, a stance the prosecutor agreed with.
In earlier proceedings, the court heard that Luqman was a complex leader with Scoot when he misappropriated cash earnings from the sale of food and beverages on flights.
He pleaded guilty in January to one count of criminal breach of trust involving more than $22,000.
A second similar charge relating to the remaining amount of nearly $18,000 was considered during his sentencing.
Luqman’s actions started when he lost two bags containing money from passengers who had bought food and drinks.
DPP Phua told the court in January: “Subsequently, (he) decided to keep the (bags and) cash proceeds after all his flights because he was worried that his supervisors would discover the loss of the first two bags.
“When his supervisors failed to confront him... (Luqman) continued to keep the (bags) after each flight.”
On 156 occasions between July 2023 and March 2024, he pocketed a total of nearly $18,000 in cash earnings from the sale of food and beverages during flights.
He committed a similar offence involving more than $22,000 in total on 210 occasions between April 2024 and March 2025.
Investigations revealed that he used the money to repay his debts to unlicensed moneylenders.
He later came clean about his offences and a Scoot representative alerted the police on March 20, 2025.
He was arrested the next day.
Luqman’s bail was set at $15,000 on March 27, and he is expected to begin serving his sentence on April 24. - The Straits Times/ANN
