SINGAPORE: An Army captain with a gambling addiction, on Friday was jailed 16 weeks and fined S$40,400 for receiving loans in exchange for providing confidential information about military projects.
Phua Poh Sim, 31, who has been suspended on no-pay leave by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), pleaded guilty to two charges of corruptly obtaining gratification in the form of loans, which amounted to more than S$53,000.
Three other similar charges were taken into consideration.
Phua received the money in mid-2008 from Richard Yow Wah, who was the managing director of Certified Aerospace Singapore.
Investigations revealed that Phua had chalked up debts of about S$100,000 after gambling at casinos onboard cruise ships.
Phua borrowed from various sources, including from his colleague, Major John Cheong Chee Wai, who later introduced Phua to Yow.
Phua
told Yow that he was involved in project work with the SAF and he could
help Yow's business by sharing information with him.
On May 3,
2008, Phua went to Yow's home and passed him a set of documents
containing confidential information relating to military projects, which
the SAF was keen to purchase.
These included information on the new army combat uniform.
Phua continued to provide confidential information to Yow in return for loans on various occasions.
In
mitigation, Phua's lawyer Mr Quek Mong Hua said that Phua had a
distinguished record where he was awarded several scholarships and
medals for his good service.
This included the prestigious SAF overseas merit scholarship.
He
also came from a family with a military background as his father is a
warrant officer and his brother is also a captain in the SAF.
In
addition, Mr Quek urged the court to consider the nature of the
information revealed and said that Phua was mindful to not reveal
information that was highly damaging.
Mr Quek also noted that
Phua was due for a promotion to the rank of Major during the time of the
offences and had confessed to his misdeeds voluntarily during his
interviews.
However, deputy public prosecutor Adrian Ooi said
that Phua's offences were a "disgrace to the SAF" and had compromised
the public image of Singapore as a corruption-free country.
Mr Ooi added that as an officer, Phua was not allowed to take loans in any case.
The tall and bespectacled man remained emotionless during sentencing.
Phua could have been jailed up to five years and jailed S$100,000 for each charge.
- CNA/ck
He is screwed big time...
another 'fine' example of meritocracies based on education...
nabei 16weeks only?
fuck lets see how he can pay the fine of $40400.
pui
future gone just like that...
its all casinoes fault. se lah whose bright idea was that?
Originally posted by troublemaker2005:its all casinoes fault. se lah whose bright idea was that?
even w/o casino, you would still have underground casino... it's only it's kept below the carpet.
Else how come suddenly more licensed moneylenders aft IR open, for all we know, are from the illegal, flip to become licensed to find 'back road'
Originally posted by Domo Kun:He sell the info to who ?
Malaysia ?
Contract information, sold to contractors and suppliers.