Fake Facebook accounts cause victim distress and lead to legal repercussions.
A 33-year-old man, Chua Wang Cheng, created fake Facebook accounts impersonating an individual he disliked, using them to share anti-Islam content that led to significant distress and police investigations for the victim.
Motivations Behind the Acts
Chua, who met the victim during national service in 2011, harbored resentment due to perceived arrogance and sarcasm from the victim. This animosity drove Chua to impersonate him online, starting with a Facebook account in February 2019 that attracted 627 “friends.” He shared the victim’s personal photos and documents, including military commendations.
When suspicions arose about the account’s authenticity, Chua deactivated it, only to reactivate it later. After Facebook shut it down for violating community standards, Chua created another account in the victim’s name.
Sharing of Inflammatory Content
In November 2019, Chua used the second fake account to share two YouTube videos containing anti-Islam content. These videos, assessed by Majilis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis), were found to disparage Islam, the Prophet Muhammad, and the Muslim community.
Three police reports were filed in October 2020 regarding the inflammatory posts, resulting in the victim being called for investigations a second time.
Consequences and Legal Actions
The victim reported psychological and professional harm due to the damage to his reputation. Chua admitted his actions during police investigations, revealing that he deliberately sought to harm the victim and found satisfaction in posting anti-Muslim content.
Chua pleaded guilty to charges under the Protection from Harassment Act and for sharing content intended to wound religious feelings. Four additional charges will be considered during sentencing.
His sentencing has been adjourned to 16/12/2024 as Chua prepares his mitigation plea.
