Section 148

Any person who keeps, manages or assists in the management of a brothel shall be guilty of an offence.

Any person who is the tenant, lessee, occupier or person in charge of any place which is used as a brothel shall, unless the person proves that the person has no knowledge and could not, with reasonable diligence, have ascertained that the place is used as a brothel, be guilty of an offence.

Any person who being the tenant, lessee, occupier or person in charge of any place lets such place or any part thereof shall, despite such letting, be guilty of an offence if the place or any part thereof is used as a brothel, unless the person proves that, when entering into the letting of that place or part thereof, the person had no knowledge and could not with reasonable diligence have ascertained that the place or part thereof is to be used as a brothel.

Any person who, being the owner of a place or the agent of an owner of a place, lets the place or any part thereof shall, despite such letting, be guilty of an offence if the place or part thereof is used as a brothel, unless the person proves that, when entering into the letting of that place or part thereof, the person had no knowledge and could not with reasonable diligence have ascertained that the place or part thereof is to be used as a brothel.Examples of reasonable diligence1.An owner of an apartment or an agent of the owner verifies the identity of a prospective tenant and purpose of the tenancy through personal inspection of the prospective tenant’s documents of identity (such as the NRIC, passport or work permit) and has a face-to-face interview with the prospective tenant, before entering into the tenancy agreement or allowing the prospective tenant to start occupying the apartment.2.A flat-owner who is not resident in Singapore engages an agent to verify the identity of a prospective tenant of the flat and purpose of the tenancy through personal inspection of the prospective tenant’s documents of identity (such as the NRIC, passport or work permit) and a face-to-face interview with the prospective tenant, and then verifies with the agent that those steps were carried out, before the flat-owner authorises the entry into the tenancy agreement for the flat or the occupation of the flat by the prospective tenant.

A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on conviction —

A person is a repeat offender in relation to an offence under subsection (1), (2), (3) or (4) if the person has been convicted or found guilty (whether before, on or after 7 August 2020) on at least one other earlier occasion of an offence under subsection (1), (2), (3) or (4), regardless of the subsection.

In any proceedings under this Part, any evidence given by any police officer not below the rank of sergeant that any place has been used as a brothel or a place of assignation is, until the contrary is proved, deemed to be sufficient evidence of the fact.