ST: Civil Servant Jailed 8 Years And 8 Months For Cheating

[Vulcann]

This is the chap that kapo over 600k in the course of his work in MHA.

 

From Straits Times:

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/S...ory_752175.html

 

Civil servant jailed 8 years and 8 months for cheating

Published on Jan 5, 2012

A civil servant who cheated the government by submitting forged approval documents for purchases of gift vouchers was jailed for eight years and eight months on Thursday.

 

Liew Chee Meng, 35, an assistant executive with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), pleaded guilty to 22 charges of cheating involving $61,985 and six of converting properties representing his benefits from criminal conduct totalling $131,280. The fraud was committed over four years from 2007 to early last year.

 

His duties included helping in the procurement of and processing payments for prizes used in activities and competitions organised by MHA's Strategic Planning and Development Division (SPPD) where he was attached to.

 

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Tan Ken Hwee said Liew caused the MHA to procure some $617,087 worth of Takashimaya, CapitaLand and Isetan gift vouchers with the intention of using them for his personal benefit.

Edited January 5, 2012 by Vulcann

[Vulcann]

Also reported in CNA.

 

From CNA:

 

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1174988/1/.html

 

Civil servant jailed for cheating

By Alvina Soh | Posted: 05 January 2012 2037 hrs

 

SINGAPORE : An assistant executive from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was jailed 8 years and 8 months on Thursday for cheating the ministry of S$617,087 over four years.

 

35-year-old Liew Chee Meng forged over 90 documents to buy gift vouchers.

 

He used the vouchers for his personal purchases, including several branded bags such as a S$15,900 Hermes bag, as well as shoes and jewellery.

 

He carried out his crimes for nearly four years starting from 2007, until MHA's finance department made enquiries into the large amount of transactions.

 

Liew, who was earlier charged with 455 counts of forgery, cheating, criminal breach of trust and money laundering, was found guilty of 28 of these charges.

 

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Ken Hwee described Liew as "a recalcitrant offender and seasoned criminal" whose actions were "carefully planned and executed".

 

Liew joined the ministry in July 2003 as a junior civilian clerical officer in the Strategic Planning and Development Division.

 

His work involved procuring and processing payments for prizes used in activities and competitions organised by his department.

 

On several occasions between January 2007 and 2011, Lee submitted forged approved emails to deceive MHA into believing that his department's senior director had approved his purchases.

 

The court heard that Liew also personally collected the gift vouchers when they were ready.

 

When the vendors of the gift vouchers sent invoices to MHA, Liew covered his tracks by certifying them as accurate and presented copies of the forged approval emails.

 

This led the finance department officers into making payment to the vendors.

 

Liew then proceeded to use the vouchers to make personal purchases costing between S$15,000 and S$46,200 on six separate occasions at Takashimaya Department store.

 

Amongst his ill-gotten goods were several Hermes and Gucci handbags, three Bvlgari rings and a Hermes scarf worth S$1,250.

 

Mr Tan said Liew had abused his position of trust by "subverting the system he was supposed to uphold and protect". He also called for a jail term of between eight and 10 years.

 

Liew, who was casually dressed in a white polo shirt and jeans, said he was remorseful and felt that he "disappointed the team and his senior director".

 

In his mitigation plea, the tall and bespectacled man said it was his first time committing an offence and pleaded for leniency.

 

However, the Deputy Public Prosecutor disputed this, saying that Lee's decision to plead guilty "stemmed not from any remorse" but because of the "overwhelming evidence" against him.

 

He added that Liew's plan was carefully planned and executed, a view that was shared by District Judge Soh Tze Bian, who described Liew's plan as "meticulous" during his sentencing.

 

Liew, whose family members were in court on Thursday, remained calm as he was led away handcuffed.

 

- CNA/ms

[Blackyv]

I thing I notice, if an elite "show" crappy remorseful face, the judgw will buy but others, they wont believe ....ummm

Anyway, this chap deserve it but 8yrs8mths for that amount is a bit too much but come to think of it, as usual, if cheat public money will get lesser jail term and if touch ah gong money, sure Kenna chialat chialat...

[The_Bear]

I thing I notice, if an elite "show" crappy remorseful face, the judgw will buy but others, they wont believe ....ummm

Anyway, this chap deserve it but 8yrs8mths for that amount is a bit too much but come to think of it, as usual, if cheat public money will get lesser jail term and if touch ah gong money, sure Kenna chialat chialat...

2 words - sunshine empire.

[Vulcann]

So this Liew fella's immediate & higher superiors have been rubber-stamping his submissions since 2007 until discovery?

 

And the internal auditors have not smelled a rat throughout these years?

 

Really eye-opener especially when it happens in the ministry supposedly to be on the frontline of national security.

 

Seriously all the performance bonuses given out to all his superiors & internal auditors since 2007 should be coughed out on top of the necessary disciplinary actions meted out.

 

Disappointing. :angry:

Edited January 6, 2012 by Vulcann

[KARTer]

So this Liew fella's immediate & higher superiors have been rubber-stamping his submissions since 2007 until discovery?

 

And the internal auditors have not smelled a rat throughout these years?

 

Really eye-opener especially when it happens in the ministry supposedly to be on the frontline of national security.

Seriously all the performance bonuses given out to all his superiors & internal auditors since 2007 should be coughed out on top of the necessary disciplinary actions meted out.

 

Disappointing. :angry:

Disgusting!!

If this is the best / typically our frontline 'defenders' can perform, the rest no need to say liao....

 

Maybe superiors/auditors take afternoon naps..............................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

after their morning naps...

Edited January 6, 2012 by KARTer

[Baphomet]

I find our judicial system here very weird.

 

I've seen much more serious offenses which were given less.

 

 

[Yardo]

I can't believe these people can be so naive to think that the law won't catch up with him, esp so when such a hugh amount is involved.

 

[Vid]

Why he buys only handbags? Jailed almost 9 years for those things not v worth it.

[Vulcann]

Why he buys only handbags? Jailed almost 9 years for those things not v worth it.

 

Maybe he is more "feminine", if you get the drift...

[Vid]

Maybe he is more "feminine", if you get the drift...

 

No wonder still a bachelor

[Peqasus]

Well it seems like he forged the purchase and when the invoice came forged te approval. Dun think his boss know. Tat said, I think the asst exec is too lowly paid to induce such corruption.

[Peqasus]

Btw civil service should offer him a job to crack the procurement system. Place him in new appt let him device way to cheat aka white hacker. He's a talent in his own way

[Mcf777]

cheng hu $ seems so easily to con. recently so many cases.

[Cavili]

Another typical case of complaceny in the govt ministry.

[Vid]

cheng hu $ seems so easily to con. recently so many cases.

 

Not recently lah. Has always been easy. Look at how much those sub con are getting. Big $$$ leh.

[Vulcann]

So 3 senior staff kena warning letters & 2 junior ones got letters of advice (sami si this?)...

 

From CNA:

 

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1175717/1/.html

 

3 MHA senior officers issued warning letters for clerk's fraud

Posted: 09 January 2012 2322 hrs

 

Edited January 10, 2012 by Vulcann

[Ken4555]

heard before from frds... cheat whoever, cheat cheng hu is the worse...