More the fool him buying a phone from Singapore without finding out if
it was SIM locked.

There isn't a publicly unlock code available for BB5 series phones, his
only hope is finding out which carrier it is locked to and contacting
them and requesting an unlock code.  If he is really lucky they might
give it to him for a $$$ price, but it wouldn't be a good idea for him
to hold his breath.

--
The views I present are that of my own and NOT of any organisation I may
belong to.

73 de Simon, VK3XEM.
http://web.acma.gov.au/pls/radcom/client_search.client_lookup?pCLIENT_NO=157452