Poo Tze Chiang allegedly received bribes totaling S$32,500 in exchange for sensitive information regarding police investigations.
SINGAPORE: A police officer has been charged in court on Tuesday (Nov 22) for allegedly accepting bribes amounting to S$32,500 and for obstructing justice. Poo Tze Chiang reportedly received these bribes in cash and loans on seven separate occasions between 2019 and 2020, as stated by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).
The payments were allegedly made to induce Poo to provide information and assistance to Cordell Chan Yuen Kwang and Wang Huate concerning ongoing police investigations against them. Another individual, Ng Chuan Seng, is also facing charges for allegedly aiding in these corrupt activities.
Poo, 45, is facing seven charges of corruption, while Ng, 51, has one charge of abetment of corruption. Additionally, Poo faces three charges of obstruction of justice. The CPIB noted that in September 2019, Ng was accused of helping Chan and Wang to corruptly provide Poo with a red packet containing S$2,000 in cash.
Moreover, Poo is alleged to have informed Chan on or around August 5, 2020, that Wang would be detained if he reported for bail. While at a void deck in Bukit Batok, Poo also allegedly displayed his police warrant card to two other patrolling officers, preventing them from checking on Chan and Wang, who were with him at the time.
On November 25, 2020, Poo purportedly alerted Chan that he had seen a colleague’s car and suggested that Chan head to a nearby coffee shop.
If convicted of corruption, Poo could face a fine of up to S$100,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both. For obstruction of justice, the penalties could include up to seven years in jail, a fine, or both.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) emphasized its commitment to addressing misconduct among officers. The SPF indicated that they referred Poo’s case to the CPIB after the alleged offences were uncovered through proactive internal checks. As a result, he has been removed from frontline duties.
