Army captain jailed 16 weeks
By Alvina Soh | Posted: 26 August 2011 1801 hrs
Phua Poh Sim, 31, a former SAF overseas scholarship recipient who had studied in the prestigious Cambridge University, had used the money to pay off his gambling debts in 2008. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
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
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