SINGAPORE - A captain with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has been jailed for four months for selling classified information to a defence contractor.
The Straits Times reported that Phua Poh Sim, 31, a weapon staff officer from December 2007 to November 2008, had incurred debts of about $100,000 after gambling on cruise ships. A colleague then introduced him to Richard Yow Wan, the managing director of defence contractor Certified Aerospace. He pleaded guilty on Wednesday.
Phua confided to Yow during one of their meetings at a karaoke lounge that Citibank was after him to repay his debt, and promised Yow he would provide confidential information on certain projects. Phua asked him for a $28,000 loan.
On 3 May 2008, he obtained the money in return for providing Yow with information on the purchase of the new pixelised combat uniforms.
He also obtained a further $12,400 from Yow on 28 June 2008, and received three other 'loans' of $7,000, $1,700 and $4,000 in May, June and August.
In addition to his jail term, Phua, a former SAF overseas scholarship recipient who went to the Cambridge University, will have to pay SAF $200,00 for failing to complete his bond.
