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Civil servant jailed for cheating
By Alvina Soh | Posted: 05 January 2012 2037 hrs
File photo of Liew Chee Meng, 35, who was on police bail of $140,000. He was jailed for eight years and eight months on Thursday. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
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
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