Serial liars like to act class, act interesting, act innocent, act poor, act rich, act ignore etc indeed
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Do you have trust in the Singapore police force?
- Thread starter LITTLEREDDOT
- Start date
The police will not hesitate to arrest Sinkies but will hesitate to arrest Foreign Talents, especially if they are CECA FTs.
Alleging that once the police arrived, they did not arrest the man, the resident asked: "Can I also do the same and walk around my neighbourhood without a mask? Why are these people treated with so much respect and they blatantly break all the rules we follow?"
Obbana Rajah
August 17, 2021
Singapore — An Indian national not wearing a mask refused to put one on and assaulted the man who asked him to do so.
In a viral video circulating on social media, the man can be seen at a HDB block’s drop-off point walking around and using his phone without wearing a mask.
As he walks by, the man filming the video says: “Go on, go on man. You’re not gonna (sic) wear a mask right?”
The man immediately runs towards the camera and hits it. “Wait, police is come (sic)” he says.
“Ya ya ya come, you want to fight with me is it?” he asks the man filming. The 41-second clip ends with the man not wearing a mask aggressively approaching the camera once more.
In a letter circulating online, allegedly by the man filming the video, the anti-masker was initially seen on his lift landing smoking and drinking.
The man filming wrote: “I told him politely to mask up. He refused. He then proceeded to the ground level and I was also headed out for breakfast at that time. He was now at my lift lobby at (sic) the ground floor smoking. That was fine. He then came up to me and started to yell at me and asked me who was to tell him to mask up. To that I responded that I was a resident here and I felt safer if he had masked up”.
When the resident started to film the man, he “charged at me without provocation and hit me several times, I fell to the floor as it was a sudden attack and lost balance. He then began kicking me”.
Alleging that once the police arrived, they did not arrest the man, the resident asked: “Can I also do the same and walk around my neighbourhood without a mask? And claim am a sovereign and above the law or don’t believe in one? Can I? Why are these people treated with so much respect and they blatantly break all the rules we follow?”
He added that he was conveyed to Changi General Hospital after the incident.
Indian national who was drinking refuses to wear mask and assaults man filming
Alleging that once the police arrived, they did not arrest the man, the resident asked: "Can I also do the same and walk around my neighbourhood without a mask? Why are these people treated with so much respect and they blatantly break all the rules we follow?"
Obbana Rajah
August 17, 2021
Singapore — An Indian national not wearing a mask refused to put one on and assaulted the man who asked him to do so.
In a viral video circulating on social media, the man can be seen at a HDB block’s drop-off point walking around and using his phone without wearing a mask.
As he walks by, the man filming the video says: “Go on, go on man. You’re not gonna (sic) wear a mask right?”
The man immediately runs towards the camera and hits it. “Wait, police is come (sic)” he says.
“Ya ya ya come, you want to fight with me is it?” he asks the man filming. The 41-second clip ends with the man not wearing a mask aggressively approaching the camera once more.
In a letter circulating online, allegedly by the man filming the video, the anti-masker was initially seen on his lift landing smoking and drinking.
The man filming wrote: “I told him politely to mask up. He refused. He then proceeded to the ground level and I was also headed out for breakfast at that time. He was now at my lift lobby at (sic) the ground floor smoking. That was fine. He then came up to me and started to yell at me and asked me who was to tell him to mask up. To that I responded that I was a resident here and I felt safer if he had masked up”.
When the resident started to film the man, he “charged at me without provocation and hit me several times, I fell to the floor as it was a sudden attack and lost balance. He then began kicking me”.
Alleging that once the police arrived, they did not arrest the man, the resident asked: “Can I also do the same and walk around my neighbourhood without a mask? And claim am a sovereign and above the law or don’t believe in one? Can I? Why are these people treated with so much respect and they blatantly break all the rules we follow?”
He added that he was conveyed to Changi General Hospital after the incident.
LTA and police were slow to act. Mr. Ong lost $80,000 in unpaid fees, customers lost $8.9 million in deposits.
Quote:
"oBike's exit left in its wake close to $2 million in debts, and up to 50,000 abandoned bicycles. Some of its bicycles were bought by other operators, while others were sent to metal scrapyards. The firm is also believed to have collected $8.9 million in deposits from users, who each paid $49. To date, no one is known to have received a refund.
Mr Ong said he wished there were a more structured system to record statements from whistle-blowers and to update them on actions taken if any. He said oBike owes him some $80,000 in unpaid fees. "While we want to encourage innovation, we can't allow companies to come here and leave a mess without consequences," he added. "My question is, could this have been prevented?""
The police said the investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds by oBike Singapore did not reveal any evidence of an offence.PHOTO: ST FILE
Christopher Tan
Senior Transport Correspondent
Sep 6, 2021
SINGAPORE - The police have found no evidence of wrongdoing against one of the biggest bicycle-sharing firms to be set up here, three years after it exited Singapore and allegedly transferred millions in subscribers' deposits to Hong Kong.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, the police said they have completed investigations into the alleged misappropriation of funds by oBike Singapore.
"The investigation did not reveal any evidence of an offence," the police said without elaborating. "The police, in consultation with the Attorney-General's Chambers, have taken no further action against oBike Singapore."
oBike was founded by Chinese start-up multi-millionaire Shi Yi. It entered Singapore in January 2017, and quickly flooded the market with some 50,000 bicycles.
Soon after the authorities introduced licensing in March 2018 to encourage better management of a combined fleet which had ballooned to 200,000, several bike-sharing firms - including oBike - started pulling out or shutting down their operations.
In August that year, liquidators of oBike revealed that the firm had transferred about $10 million collected from users here to its Hong Kong office. FTI Consulting added that letters of demand will be issued to oBike Hong Kong and founder Shi Yi.
FTI did not respond when asked for an update on the liquidation process.
In September 2018, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam told Parliament that the police were investigating oBike for misappropriation of funds.
In an update last week, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said oBike's commercial decision to close down its operations "was unfortunate".
"It underscored the need for a strong device-sharing operators regulatory framework to mitigate the impact of disorderly exits by operators," an LTA spokesman said.
Bike-sharing firms are now required to, among other things, pay a performance bond to the LTA based on their fleet size.
But an oBike vendor said he had tipped the LTA off in May 2018 about the firm's intended pull-out - a month before oBike closed shop.
Mr Henry Ong, whose logistics firm used lorries to redistribute bicycles across the island, said he first suspected something was amiss as early as March 2018, when the firm started being late in payments.
He then found out from an oBike employee that the firm - which had operations is several other countries - was preparing to pull out of Singapore.
Mr Ong said the LTA did not act on his tip-off, but the LTA said it took public feedback "very seriously and all information provided is looked into".
A spokesman said the tip-off as well as "LTA's observations" had helped with police investigations and "in enabling MoT and LTA to prepare for oBike's exit". It did not elaborate.
oBike's exit left in its wake close to $2 million in debts, and up to 50,000 abandoned bicycles. Some of its bicycles were bought by other operators, while others were sent to metal scrapyards.
The firm is also believed to have collected $8.9 million in deposits from users, who each paid $49. To-date, no one is known to have received a refund.
Mr Ong said he wished there were a more structured system to record statements from whistle-blowers, and to update them on actions taken, if any. He said oBike owes him some $80,000 in unpaid fees.
"While we want to encourage innovation, we can't allow companies to come here and leave a mess without consequences," he added. "My question is, could this have been prevented?"
Quote:
"oBike's exit left in its wake close to $2 million in debts, and up to 50,000 abandoned bicycles. Some of its bicycles were bought by other operators, while others were sent to metal scrapyards. The firm is also believed to have collected $8.9 million in deposits from users, who each paid $49. To date, no one is known to have received a refund.
Mr Ong said he wished there were a more structured system to record statements from whistle-blowers and to update them on actions taken if any. He said oBike owes him some $80,000 in unpaid fees. "While we want to encourage innovation, we can't allow companies to come here and leave a mess without consequences," he added. "My question is, could this have been prevented?""
Police find no evidence of wrongdoing against bike-sharing firm oBike
The police said the investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds by oBike Singapore did not reveal any evidence of an offence.PHOTO: ST FILE
Christopher Tan
Senior Transport Correspondent
Sep 6, 2021
SINGAPORE - The police have found no evidence of wrongdoing against one of the biggest bicycle-sharing firms to be set up here, three years after it exited Singapore and allegedly transferred millions in subscribers' deposits to Hong Kong.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, the police said they have completed investigations into the alleged misappropriation of funds by oBike Singapore.
"The investigation did not reveal any evidence of an offence," the police said without elaborating. "The police, in consultation with the Attorney-General's Chambers, have taken no further action against oBike Singapore."
oBike was founded by Chinese start-up multi-millionaire Shi Yi. It entered Singapore in January 2017, and quickly flooded the market with some 50,000 bicycles.
Soon after the authorities introduced licensing in March 2018 to encourage better management of a combined fleet which had ballooned to 200,000, several bike-sharing firms - including oBike - started pulling out or shutting down their operations.
In August that year, liquidators of oBike revealed that the firm had transferred about $10 million collected from users here to its Hong Kong office. FTI Consulting added that letters of demand will be issued to oBike Hong Kong and founder Shi Yi.
FTI did not respond when asked for an update on the liquidation process.
In September 2018, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam told Parliament that the police were investigating oBike for misappropriation of funds.
In an update last week, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said oBike's commercial decision to close down its operations "was unfortunate".
"It underscored the need for a strong device-sharing operators regulatory framework to mitigate the impact of disorderly exits by operators," an LTA spokesman said.
Bike-sharing firms are now required to, among other things, pay a performance bond to the LTA based on their fleet size.
But an oBike vendor said he had tipped the LTA off in May 2018 about the firm's intended pull-out - a month before oBike closed shop.
Mr Henry Ong, whose logistics firm used lorries to redistribute bicycles across the island, said he first suspected something was amiss as early as March 2018, when the firm started being late in payments.
He then found out from an oBike employee that the firm - which had operations is several other countries - was preparing to pull out of Singapore.
Mr Ong said the LTA did not act on his tip-off, but the LTA said it took public feedback "very seriously and all information provided is looked into".
A spokesman said the tip-off as well as "LTA's observations" had helped with police investigations and "in enabling MoT and LTA to prepare for oBike's exit". It did not elaborate.
oBike's exit left in its wake close to $2 million in debts, and up to 50,000 abandoned bicycles. Some of its bicycles were bought by other operators, while others were sent to metal scrapyards.
The firm is also believed to have collected $8.9 million in deposits from users, who each paid $49. To-date, no one is known to have received a refund.
Mr Ong said he wished there were a more structured system to record statements from whistle-blowers, and to update them on actions taken, if any. He said oBike owes him some $80,000 in unpaid fees.
"While we want to encourage innovation, we can't allow companies to come here and leave a mess without consequences," he added. "My question is, could this have been prevented?"
This is clearly injustice.
Forum: No wrongdoing by oBike, but no sight of deposit money lost by users
SEP 15, 2021
I'm appalled by the outcome of the investigation into oBike's operations here (Police probe finds no evidence of wrongdoing by oBike, Sept 7).
As a victim, I still cannot believe how a company can simply forfeit monies collected that were meant to be deposits for using bicycles.
We completed a spreadsheet requesting personal details, and submitted old credit card statements as proof of payment (I'm baffled as to why we needed to do so), but there is still no sight of our monies being refunded. While guidelines and best practices for bike-sharing operations have been improved - bike-sharing firms now have to pay a performance bond to the Land Transport Authority - the grievances of victims of oBike's exit are still left unaddressed.
Chong Kah Weng
SPF explores avenues to prevent suicides among offenders after 20-year-old died before court charging
File photo of the State Courts in Singapore. (Photo: Calvin Oh)
Lydia Lam
@LydiaLamCNA08 Oct 2021
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is exploring additional avenues to help offenders at risk of suicide, according to the findings of a coroner's inquiry released this week, after a 20-year-old man was found at the bottom of a block opposite the State Courts on the day of his formal charging.
Such avenues include providing suicide prevention and intervention brochures and posters at police divisions, and including information that may help an offender, such as what to expect when he goes to court.
The coroner's findings detailed how the deceased was investigated for offences including cheating, forgery and impersonating a public servant. It was his first brush with the law.
He reported at Clementi Police Division on the morning of Mar 10 this year with his stepsister and was served five charges, before being told to attend court the next day.
On Mar 11, the man went to the State Courts and took his seat in the charge courts. His stepsister, who was also present, was directed to the public gallery a floor up.
A short while later, the man approached the security officer and said he was stepping out to use the washroom.
Instead, he went to a block opposite the State Courts building. Police camera footage showed he took the lift and stairs up Block 51, Chin Swee Road.
He borrowed a stranger's mobile phone to call another sister and told her: "Take care mummy. Bye bye."
His sister was alarmed and told him to return to his stepsister in the court, but the call ended abruptly.
At about 11am, a worker at a shop located at the block heard a loud sound and found the deceased's body on the pavement.
He had a faint pulse when the paramedics and police arrived to take him to the hospital, but died less than two hours later.
Investigations revealed that the deceased had learning difficulties as a child, feared going to school and was bullied by his classmates.
He was diagnosed with learning disability, and his IQ was in the extremely low range.
POLICE STATION
During the coroner's inquiry, the deceased's stepsister testified that he had looked disappointed and kept looking at the floor after emerging from the interview room at the police station on Mar 10.When they got home, the deceased cried and talked about the possibility of going to prison. He apologised for causing trouble, and his family consoled him and said they would support him.
His stepsister said he appeared to be avoiding going to court. She also testified that she "rushed down" to look for him when she saw him stand up to leave the courtroom on Mar 11. She "panicked" when she could not find him, and was later told of his demise.
TESTIMONY BY THE INVESTIGATION OFFICER
The investigation officer assigned to the case testified that the entire interview process with the deceased took about 40 minutes.Assistant Superintendent of Police Koh Soon Long said that he would have notified the man's bailor, who was his stepsister, if he had displayed any sign of distress or indication that he posed a danger to himself or others.
IO Koh elaborated that the police have established procedures to manage people who are identified as suicidal or at risk of self-harm.
An "appropriate adult" would be activated to assist with the interview if the person was assessed to have a mental disability or mental health issue.
IO Koh said he was trained to handle suicidal subjects, and had also attended courses on basic victim care skills at the Home Team School of Criminal Investigation.
Testifying on behalf of the SPF, Deputy Superintendent of Police Zulkarnain Sameian said those who are assessed to be at immediate risk of self-harm may be referred to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for immediate psychiatric treatment.
The police may also make a referral to IMH for outpatient treatment, before handing the person to their relative or caregiver.
DSP Zulkarnain explained that all regular police officers and police full-time national service officers posted as ground response force officers are trained to handle suicidal subjects.
IOs are also equipped with basic victim care skills, and on interview techniques to ensure fair and objective interviews without any pre-conceived notion of guilt or innocence.
When handling young offenders - those aged 18 and below - the police adopt additional measures to conduct interviews discreetly, DSP Zulkarnain said.
SPF TO EXPLORE ADDITIONAL AVENUES TO HELP AT-RISK OFFENDERS
DSP Zulkarnain said SPF recognises "the importance of providingappropriate support to offenders and have put in place various measures to refer offenders who require support and intervention to professionals for help". These measures are continuously reviewed and updated, he said.
After the deceased's suicide, SPF began exploring additional avenues to provide assistance to offenders at risk, he said.
For example, brochures and posters on suicide prevention and intervention, with helplines and support services, will be made available at police divisions.
"SPF will also consider including other information which may be helpful to the offender, such as what to expect when he goes to court and access to legal aid," said DSP Zulkarnain.
"All of these resources will collectively help the offender mentally prepare himself for his court case. SPF is committed to preventing a similar incident from happening again."
MORE THAN HALF OF SUICIDES OCCUR ON IMPULSE, WITHIN 24 HOURS: SOS
The head of core services at Samaritans of Singapore Ms Charlene Heng testified that there are three typical ways a person in distress transmits messages: Verbal, non-verbal and the tone in which they transmit the message.There appeared to be none of these from the deceased, she said. She said more than half of suicides happen on impulse, with the act itself typically taking place within 24 hours from the time the person thinks of doing so.
About 10 to 20 per cent of cases take place within hours of the thought, she said, adding that there are limits to what can be done unless the individual chances upon resources or helplines or decides for himself to reach out.
Touching on court hearings, she said that it can be a "nerve-wracking experience" for offenders attending court for the first time. She suggested one way to normalise feelings of anxiety was for the IO to close off the session by saying it is natural to be anxious about court hearings, and to provide resources and helplines.
Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam ruled the man's death a deliberate act of suicide. She said it was clear he intended to end his life, which was likely triggered by his criminal case.
She conveyed her condolences to his family for their loss.
Quote: "CNB understands Justin's mother's grief and will continue to render assistance to her," said the bureau.
What is the use of saying CNB understands the mother's grief when the son is already dead?
If CNB had the proper procedure for handling Justin, Justin would not have committed suicide.
Justin Lee died on Sept 16 from a fall from height. He had been charged with drug trafficking in June.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Jean Iau and Samuel Devaraj
Oct 13, 2021
SINGAPORE - An internal investigation by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) is under way following the death of a 17-year-old boy after he was arrested by its officers.
Justin Lee, who had been charged with drug trafficking on June 24, died on Sept 16 from a fall from height.
His mother, Ms Cecilia Ow, 51, on Tuesday (Oct 12) posted a letter addressed to Minister for Law and Home Affairs K. Shanmugam on her Instagram page, describing her son's experience of being arrested and his history with depression.
The CNB said on its Facebook on Wednesday: "Some statements have been made publicly about how Justin was arrested and questioned. CNB has been investigating the circumstances of his arrest."
The bureau added that the investigations are expected to be completed before the end of the month, and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will make the findings public.
"The allegations are being fully investigated," it said, adding that MHA will also take further steps if necessary.
CNB said it arrested Justin after it conducted investigations into a person who was suspected of trafficking a Class A controlled drug online. Drugs in this category include heroin and LSD.
Outlining some of the details of her son's arrest on Feb 3, Ms Ow, a senior lecturer at a polytechnic, told The Straits Times on Wednesday that she was not able to speak to her son, even while officers searched his room with him at their home in Hougang.
She spoke to him only when she bailed him out on Feb 4 night.
In her letter to Mr Shanmugam on Oct 1, she referenced the case of Benjamin Lim, 14, whose death was ruled a suicide after he was found dead at the foot of his block in Yishun in January 2016.
He had been questioned at Ang Mo Kio police division hours earlier for the alleged molestation of an 11-year-old girl in a lift.
Ms Ow told ST: "Things really need to change."
She called for a separate unit within the police force with training in handling young people with mental health issues to be formed to deal with offenders under the age of 18.
"I hope the Government reflects on this and puts in sincere effort to overhaul this system. I've given them a suggestion but I'm sure there are other ways of doing this better," she said.
The CNB said on Wednesday that senior officials have been speaking to Ms Ow since Sept 20, when they heard of her son's death, and last met her on Oct 8.
"CNB assured her that there would be full investigations and provided her with the timeframe required for the investigations. She was also told that the findings will be shared with her," said the bureau in its post.
It added that Mr Shanmugam contacted Ms Ow the same day she sent her letter to assure her that a thorough review into her son's arrest and investigations will be conducted.
She was also given the contact details of Mr Shanmugam and Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, and told that she could contact the ministers at any time, said CNB.
It added that it arranged for psychological support to be provided to her.
"CNB understands Justin's mother's grief and will continue to render assistance to her," said the bureau.
What is the use of saying CNB understands the mother's grief when the son is already dead?
If CNB had the proper procedure for handling Justin, Justin would not have committed suicide.
CNB launches internal investigation after death of teen charged with drug trafficking
1 of 2
Justin Lee died on Sept 16 from a fall from height. He had been charged with drug trafficking in June.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Jean Iau and Samuel Devaraj
Oct 13, 2021
SINGAPORE - An internal investigation by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) is under way following the death of a 17-year-old boy after he was arrested by its officers.
Justin Lee, who had been charged with drug trafficking on June 24, died on Sept 16 from a fall from height.
His mother, Ms Cecilia Ow, 51, on Tuesday (Oct 12) posted a letter addressed to Minister for Law and Home Affairs K. Shanmugam on her Instagram page, describing her son's experience of being arrested and his history with depression.
The CNB said on its Facebook on Wednesday: "Some statements have been made publicly about how Justin was arrested and questioned. CNB has been investigating the circumstances of his arrest."
The bureau added that the investigations are expected to be completed before the end of the month, and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will make the findings public.
"The allegations are being fully investigated," it said, adding that MHA will also take further steps if necessary.
CNB said it arrested Justin after it conducted investigations into a person who was suspected of trafficking a Class A controlled drug online. Drugs in this category include heroin and LSD.
Outlining some of the details of her son's arrest on Feb 3, Ms Ow, a senior lecturer at a polytechnic, told The Straits Times on Wednesday that she was not able to speak to her son, even while officers searched his room with him at their home in Hougang.
She spoke to him only when she bailed him out on Feb 4 night.
In her letter to Mr Shanmugam on Oct 1, she referenced the case of Benjamin Lim, 14, whose death was ruled a suicide after he was found dead at the foot of his block in Yishun in January 2016.
He had been questioned at Ang Mo Kio police division hours earlier for the alleged molestation of an 11-year-old girl in a lift.
Ms Ow told ST: "Things really need to change."
She called for a separate unit within the police force with training in handling young people with mental health issues to be formed to deal with offenders under the age of 18.
"I hope the Government reflects on this and puts in sincere effort to overhaul this system. I've given them a suggestion but I'm sure there are other ways of doing this better," she said.
The CNB said on Wednesday that senior officials have been speaking to Ms Ow since Sept 20, when they heard of her son's death, and last met her on Oct 8.
"CNB assured her that there would be full investigations and provided her with the timeframe required for the investigations. She was also told that the findings will be shared with her," said the bureau in its post.
It added that Mr Shanmugam contacted Ms Ow the same day she sent her letter to assure her that a thorough review into her son's arrest and investigations will be conducted.
She was also given the contact details of Mr Shanmugam and Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, and told that she could contact the ministers at any time, said CNB.
It added that it arranged for psychological support to be provided to her.
"CNB understands Justin's mother's grief and will continue to render assistance to her," said the bureau.
After 1 Oct, no sound, no picture from K Shanmugam.
The mother has to go public on Instagram before K Shanmugam and the CNB put up a show: "She was also given the contact details of Mr Shanmugam and Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, and told that she could contact the ministers at any time, said CNB."
The mother has to go public on Instagram before K Shanmugam and the CNB put up a show: "She was also given the contact details of Mr Shanmugam and Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, and told that she could contact the ministers at any time, said CNB."
Cecilia Ow, the mother of Justin, said the police has not learnt and has not taken corrective action since the death of Benjamin Lim in 2016.
Benjamin Lim's bedroom in his family's Yishun HDB flat on the 14th floor. PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER FILE
Seow Bei Yi
Business Correspondent
MAR 3, 2016
SINGAPORE - On Jan 26, a 14-year-old Secondary 3 schoolboy was found dead at the foot of a block of flats in Yishun. He had lived on the 14th floor with his family.
The boy, Benjamin Lim, had earlier been questioned by the police in connection with an allegation involving outrage of modesty.
In Parliament on Tuesday (March 1), Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam laid out the facts of the case. Here is a summary:
• He allegedly follows an 11-year-old girl into a lift at the ground floor
• What happens in the lift is caught on CCTV; Benjamin later admits to touching a part of the girl's body
• He steps out of the lift at the 13th floor
• The pair have a brief exchange, but she does not follow him
• He gets into the lift at the 12th floor and goes to the ground floor
• The girl tells her father what happened, and they go to the police
• From CCTV footage, police identify the boy's school from his uniform
• Five plainclothes officers go to North View Secondary School in unmarked cars
North View Secondary School.. ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
• Benjamin is identified by school officials after seeing a screenshot of the footage
• A school staff member goes to the canteen to look for Benjamin, and takes him to the principal's office
• The principal tells him that a police officer wants to speak to him, and that staff will stay with him
• An officer speaks with Benjamin about the incident in the presence of staff
• The other four police officers are not in the room
• Benjamin is advised by the principal to call his mother, and he does so
• An officer tells Benjamin's mother that he would be taken to Ang Mo Kio Police Station to give his statement
• Benjamin is taken to the police station in an unmarked car by three officers. One officer alights along the way
• Benjamin's mother and elder sister arrive at school around 11am, but he has already left
• Principal tells a school counsellor to call Benjamin's mother later to check on his well-being
• Benjamin is not handcuffed at any time, and is cooperative
• His written statement is taken at 12.15pm
• He is offered food and drink after the interview, which he declines
• He is placed in a temporary holding room alone
• Police record a statement from Benjamin's mother
• Benjamin is released on bail around 2.50pm, after around 3½ hours on the station. He leaves with his family
The HDB block in Yishun where Benjamin Lim and his family lived. ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
• Benjamin has lunch, then plays games on his handphone
• Around 4.15pm, his mother receives a call from a school counsellor
• The counsellor discusses with Benjamin's mother if it would be better for him to remain with his family during this period
• His mother agrees and it was decided he would not attend the Secondary 3 school camp
• She tells Benjamin he will not be going to camp the next day
• At 4.20pm, Benjamin is found dead at the foot of block where his family lives
The Benjamin Lim case: A timeline of what happened
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Benjamin Lim's bedroom in his family's Yishun HDB flat on the 14th floor. PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER FILE
Seow Bei Yi
Business Correspondent
MAR 3, 2016
SINGAPORE - On Jan 26, a 14-year-old Secondary 3 schoolboy was found dead at the foot of a block of flats in Yishun. He had lived on the 14th floor with his family.
The boy, Benjamin Lim, had earlier been questioned by the police in connection with an allegation involving outrage of modesty.
In Parliament on Tuesday (March 1), Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam laid out the facts of the case. Here is a summary:
Jan 25: In the lift
• Benjamin makes a detour to another block on his way home from school• He allegedly follows an 11-year-old girl into a lift at the ground floor
• What happens in the lift is caught on CCTV; Benjamin later admits to touching a part of the girl's body
• He steps out of the lift at the 13th floor
• The pair have a brief exchange, but she does not follow him
• He gets into the lift at the 12th floor and goes to the ground floor
• The girl tells her father what happened, and they go to the police
• From CCTV footage, police identify the boy's school from his uniform
Jan 26: At Benjamin's school
• Police retrieve relevant CCTV footage and identify a boy in school uniform as the suspect• Five plainclothes officers go to North View Secondary School in unmarked cars
• Benjamin is identified by school officials after seeing a screenshot of the footage
• A school staff member goes to the canteen to look for Benjamin, and takes him to the principal's office
• The principal tells him that a police officer wants to speak to him, and that staff will stay with him
• An officer speaks with Benjamin about the incident in the presence of staff
• The other four police officers are not in the room
• Benjamin is advised by the principal to call his mother, and he does so
• An officer tells Benjamin's mother that he would be taken to Ang Mo Kio Police Station to give his statement
• Benjamin is taken to the police station in an unmarked car by three officers. One officer alights along the way
• Benjamin's mother and elder sister arrive at school around 11am, but he has already left
• Principal tells a school counsellor to call Benjamin's mother later to check on his well-being
Jan 26: At the police station
• An officer takes Benjamin's statement at his workstation in an open plan office• Benjamin is not handcuffed at any time, and is cooperative
• His written statement is taken at 12.15pm
• He is offered food and drink after the interview, which he declines
• He is placed in a temporary holding room alone
• Police record a statement from Benjamin's mother
• Benjamin is released on bail around 2.50pm, after around 3½ hours on the station. He leaves with his family
Jan 26: At his home
• Benjamin has lunch, then plays games on his handphone
• Around 4.15pm, his mother receives a call from a school counsellor
• The counsellor discusses with Benjamin's mother if it would be better for him to remain with his family during this period
• His mother agrees and it was decided he would not attend the Secondary 3 school camp
• She tells Benjamin he will not be going to camp the next day
• At 4.20pm, Benjamin is found dead at the foot of block where his family lives
Benjamin Lim case: Coroner suggests school counsellor could accompany minor to police station
Benjamin Lim was found dead at the foot of his block in Yishun on Jan 26, hours after being questioned at Ang Mo Kio police division for the alleged molest of an 11-year-old girl in a lift. PHOTO: ST FILE
Seow Bei Yi
Business Correspondent
AUG 18, 2016
SINGAPORE - Ruling the death of Benjamin Lim a suicide, State Coroner Marvin Bay said the police and his school had taken steps to engage him sensitively. But an "additional refinement" could be for a school counsellor to accompany the student to the police station.
The North View Secondary School student was found dead at the foot of his block in Yishun on Jan 26, hours after being questioned at Ang Mo Kio police division for the alleged molest of an 11-year-old girl in a lift.
Coroner Bay said he had viewed the CCTV footage from the lift many times, and concluded that Benjamin's hand did touch the back of the girl. "It would only be fair to state that this touch was momentary, and Master Lim did not appear to grasp or grope the girl upon contact with her body," he said.
The coroner, saying it was probably that a combination of factors were at play in this case, suggested that Benjamin may have been worried about the consequences of his action. While he would probably have been given a stern warning or "sanctions geared towards guidance, therapy and rehabilitation", young people are often geared to engage in a phenomenon known as "catastrophic thinking", said the coroner.
"Young persons may inadvertently associate their offending with the examples seen in current affairs programmes such as Crime Watch, and be completely unaware that the punishments meted in the depicted accounts are for hardened adult offenders who have committed heinous crimes in egregious circumstances. In such a setting, if a young suspect is not given an appropriate perspective, he or she may gravitate towards self-harm or other destructive behaviour based on the erroneous belief that what they have done will irreversibly change the course of their educational and career prospects, and other aspects of their lives."
The coroner suggested that young people be better informed of the consequences of their actions.
In this case, police did tell his mother that Benjamin could receive a warning in lieu of prosecution, he might have to undergo probation, or he might have to go to court. "There does not seem to be any indication from the adduced evidence in the record that Master Lim was made aware of this," said the coroner.
Before he jumped, Benjamin found out from his mother that he would not be attending a school camp that began the next day. While finding that the school had suggested to his mother it was better for him to be with his family instead of being at the school , the coroner added that in hindsight, it may have been better for the school counsellor to explain the decision to Benjamin.
"This will enable the actual context of the action to be properly understood," he explained. "A communication with only a parent or caregiver would carry the risk that essential nuances and details may, perhaps inadvertently, be filtered or edited away... A child may react badly if the measures, intended for their well-being, are misinterpreted to be punitive or retributive."
The coroner also suggested that school counsellors accompany students under their charge to the police station, if they need to be interviewed.
" I am, of course, not suggesting that counsellors should become advocates for the child or actively participate in the interview process, but rather to be present as resource persons to meet any arising needs from the police, the student, or his caregivers," he explained.
"While parents generally have a justifiably high degree of confidence in the effectiveness, efficiency and fairness of the police, they may feel rather more conflicted when their child is a person of interest in a criminal investigation. They may feel a degree of anxiety and uncertainty if their child is taken to a police station unaccompanied by any member of the school. An accompanying counsellor, as an integral part of the pastoral care team, would be an ideal person to monitor the emotional state of the child, and give real-time information to parents of the location of their child, to put them at ease."
Then at the end of his findings, the coroner extended his "deepest condolences to the family of (Benjamin) for their very sad loss".
Justin's mother, who goes by the name Cecilia Ow on Instagram, where she posted the letter, alleged that six to nine CNB officers had chased after her son during the arrest, handcuffed him and took him to their home in order to raid his room.
The officers then took Justin to apolice station in Bedok where he was “interrogated in an abrasive manner (such that) vulgarities were used, intimidated and even denied a drink of water”, she said.
She then alleged that her son was held in custody “under less than ideal conditions” until she bailed him out the next night.
“Through it all, he was not allowed to contact me, his next-of-kin, and was not accompanied by a trusted adult.”
He had been attending regular psychotherapy sessions since, she said.
His mental health diagnosis was made known to the investigating officer in charge of his case at the beginning of the investigation process, she added.
Source: TODAY
Article Date: 14 Oct 2021
Author: Tessa Oh
The mother of a teenager said that her son withdrew into his shell after his interrogation by the police and subsequent arrest.
Responding to the letter, which was put up on social media by the mother, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 13) that a full investigation into the circumstances of her son’s arrest is underway and the findings will be made public after the investigations conclude.
Investigations are expected to be completed by the end of October, CNB said, adding that psychological support has been offered to the mother during this period.
Based on statements made by both the mother and CNB, the teenager was arrested on the evening of Feb 3, 2021 along Serangoon North Avenue 4 for a drug-related offence.
CNB said that the youth, whom it referred to as "Justin", was suspected of trafficking a Class A controlled drug online. Examples of Class A drugs include cannabis, cocaine, ketamine and MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly.
CNB did not specify in its statement the drugs that Justin was alleged to have trafficked.
Through investigations, the agency recovered the drugs from another location in the vicinity of Serangoon North Avenue 4 and ascertained that they belonged to Justin and were meant for sale.
Justin's mother, who goes by the name Cecilia Ow on Instagram, where she posted the letter, alleged that six to nine CNB officers had chased after her son during the arrest, handcuffed him and took him to their home in order to raid his room.
The officers then took Justin to apolice station in Bedok where he was “interrogated in an abrasive manner (such that) vulgarities were used, intimidated and even denied a drink of water”, she said.
She then alleged that her son was held in custody “under less than ideal conditions” until she bailed him out the next night.
“Through it all, he was not allowed to contact me, his next-of-kin, and was not accompanied by a trusted adult.”
CNB said the Attorney-General’s Chambers had directed that Justin be charged with drug trafficking offences in June this year under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
The teenager was later asked to report to CNB’s headquarters on June 23 where he was served with the charges and then released on the same day.
Ms Ow said in her letter that Justin was held in custody and was released on bail after 8pm.
A day later, he was charged with drug trafficking-related offences and released on court bail, CNB said.
Three months later, on Sept 16, he committed suicide at his home in Hougang, his mother said.
In its statement, CNB said it was aware that Justin had died. The agency added that police investigations into his death are ongoing.
MOTHER SEEKS ‘THOROUGH’ REVIEW
Justin's mother said that her son “became a different person” after his encounter with the CNB officers.
“He withdrew into his shell. He hid in his room all day and came out only for food and breaks,” she said, adding that the teenager had also slept poorly for months due to “flashbacks about his brutal arrest”.
Justin had also refused to leave the house, she said, for fear that CNB officers were watching him.
He also told his mother that he had felt “violated” by the officers when they searched his room and “left it in a mess” and when they did a body search on him at the police station.
“He stopped talking to family members and could not focus on his studies. His psychologist told me he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder,” Ms Ow said.
She also revealed in her post that early last year, Justin was diagnosed with dysthymia, a persistent depressive disorder, after witnessing one of his schoolmates attempting suicide the year before.
He had been attending regular psychotherapy sessions since, she said.
His mental health diagnosis was made known to the investigating officer in charge of his case at the beginning of the investigation process, she added.
The mother did not deny that her son committed an offence and realised that the CNB officers were doing their jobs.
However, she added that the stress of the case, such as “waiting indefinitely for an outcome”, had broken him and led to his death.
Ms Ow posed several questions to Mr Shanmugam, including asking why CNB could not give an estimate of how long the interrogation would take, why Justin’s belongings were not returned to him after investigations were completed, and why there was a need to go through the process of bail twice.
She called for a thorough review into the policies, procedures and processes relating to juvenile crimes, and suggested that the Ministry of Home Affairs set up a dedicated unit within the police force to train enforcement officers in dealing with juvenile offenders.
She suggested that law enforcement officers and other staff members attend mental health first-aid and counselling courses, so as to understand that juvenile offenders should be treated differently from adult ones, regardless of the type of offence.
WHAT CNB SAYS
Responding to Ms Ow’s question on why the bail process occurred twice, CNB said that persons charged with drug-related offences are usually not released on bail after being served with charges until they appear in court, but CNB “made an exception” and released Justin because he was 17 years old.
As for Ms Ow’s other allegations related to how her son was arrested and questioned, CNB said that it has been investigating the circumstances of the youth's arrest and they are set to be completed by the end of the month.
Upon the conclusion of investigations, the authorities intend for the findings to be made publicly available.
And if necessary, the Ministry of Home Affairs will take further steps based on the findings of the investigation.
CNB said that its senior officials have been in touch with Ms Ow since Sept 20 after learning of Justin’s death, and will continue to render assistance to her as she grieves for her son.
The officials last met her on Oct 8 and assured her that there would be full investigations into her son’s case, and also provided her with the timeframe required for the investigation.
“She was also told the findings will be shared with her,” CNB added.
Separately, Mr Shanmugam has contacted Ms Ow after the letter was posted to him on Oct 1. He had assured her that a thorough review into Justin’s arrest and investigations would be conducted.
CNB said: “Justin’s mother was also provided with the contact details for Mr Shanmugam and Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim. She was told that she could contact the ministers directly, at any time, on this matter.”
The officers then took Justin to apolice station in Bedok where he was “interrogated in an abrasive manner (such that) vulgarities were used, intimidated and even denied a drink of water”, she said.
She then alleged that her son was held in custody “under less than ideal conditions” until she bailed him out the next night.
“Through it all, he was not allowed to contact me, his next-of-kin, and was not accompanied by a trusted adult.”
He had been attending regular psychotherapy sessions since, she said.
His mental health diagnosis was made known to the investigating officer in charge of his case at the beginning of the investigation process, she added.
Mum of teen who took life after facing drug charges speaks out over 'abrasive' interrogation; CNB launches probe
Source: TODAYArticle Date: 14 Oct 2021
Author: Tessa Oh
The mother of a teenager said that her son withdrew into his shell after his interrogation by the police and subsequent arrest.
- A 17-year-old was handed a drug trafficking charge in June
- His mother alleged on social media that he was interrogated in an “abrasive manner” during his arrest, among other things
- She said her son became withdrawn after his encounter with the police
- The Central Narcotics Bureau said it is investigating the matter and will make the findings public
Responding to the letter, which was put up on social media by the mother, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 13) that a full investigation into the circumstances of her son’s arrest is underway and the findings will be made public after the investigations conclude.
Investigations are expected to be completed by the end of October, CNB said, adding that psychological support has been offered to the mother during this period.
Based on statements made by both the mother and CNB, the teenager was arrested on the evening of Feb 3, 2021 along Serangoon North Avenue 4 for a drug-related offence.
CNB said that the youth, whom it referred to as "Justin", was suspected of trafficking a Class A controlled drug online. Examples of Class A drugs include cannabis, cocaine, ketamine and MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly.
CNB did not specify in its statement the drugs that Justin was alleged to have trafficked.
Through investigations, the agency recovered the drugs from another location in the vicinity of Serangoon North Avenue 4 and ascertained that they belonged to Justin and were meant for sale.
Justin's mother, who goes by the name Cecilia Ow on Instagram, where she posted the letter, alleged that six to nine CNB officers had chased after her son during the arrest, handcuffed him and took him to their home in order to raid his room.
The officers then took Justin to apolice station in Bedok where he was “interrogated in an abrasive manner (such that) vulgarities were used, intimidated and even denied a drink of water”, she said.
She then alleged that her son was held in custody “under less than ideal conditions” until she bailed him out the next night.
“Through it all, he was not allowed to contact me, his next-of-kin, and was not accompanied by a trusted adult.”
CNB said the Attorney-General’s Chambers had directed that Justin be charged with drug trafficking offences in June this year under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
The teenager was later asked to report to CNB’s headquarters on June 23 where he was served with the charges and then released on the same day.
Ms Ow said in her letter that Justin was held in custody and was released on bail after 8pm.
A day later, he was charged with drug trafficking-related offences and released on court bail, CNB said.
Three months later, on Sept 16, he committed suicide at his home in Hougang, his mother said.
In its statement, CNB said it was aware that Justin had died. The agency added that police investigations into his death are ongoing.
MOTHER SEEKS ‘THOROUGH’ REVIEW
Justin's mother said that her son “became a different person” after his encounter with the CNB officers.
“He withdrew into his shell. He hid in his room all day and came out only for food and breaks,” she said, adding that the teenager had also slept poorly for months due to “flashbacks about his brutal arrest”.
Justin had also refused to leave the house, she said, for fear that CNB officers were watching him.
He also told his mother that he had felt “violated” by the officers when they searched his room and “left it in a mess” and when they did a body search on him at the police station.
“He stopped talking to family members and could not focus on his studies. His psychologist told me he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder,” Ms Ow said.
She also revealed in her post that early last year, Justin was diagnosed with dysthymia, a persistent depressive disorder, after witnessing one of his schoolmates attempting suicide the year before.
He had been attending regular psychotherapy sessions since, she said.
His mental health diagnosis was made known to the investigating officer in charge of his case at the beginning of the investigation process, she added.
The mother did not deny that her son committed an offence and realised that the CNB officers were doing their jobs.
However, she added that the stress of the case, such as “waiting indefinitely for an outcome”, had broken him and led to his death.
Ms Ow posed several questions to Mr Shanmugam, including asking why CNB could not give an estimate of how long the interrogation would take, why Justin’s belongings were not returned to him after investigations were completed, and why there was a need to go through the process of bail twice.
She called for a thorough review into the policies, procedures and processes relating to juvenile crimes, and suggested that the Ministry of Home Affairs set up a dedicated unit within the police force to train enforcement officers in dealing with juvenile offenders.
She suggested that law enforcement officers and other staff members attend mental health first-aid and counselling courses, so as to understand that juvenile offenders should be treated differently from adult ones, regardless of the type of offence.
WHAT CNB SAYS
Responding to Ms Ow’s question on why the bail process occurred twice, CNB said that persons charged with drug-related offences are usually not released on bail after being served with charges until they appear in court, but CNB “made an exception” and released Justin because he was 17 years old.
As for Ms Ow’s other allegations related to how her son was arrested and questioned, CNB said that it has been investigating the circumstances of the youth's arrest and they are set to be completed by the end of the month.
Upon the conclusion of investigations, the authorities intend for the findings to be made publicly available.
And if necessary, the Ministry of Home Affairs will take further steps based on the findings of the investigation.
CNB said that its senior officials have been in touch with Ms Ow since Sept 20 after learning of Justin’s death, and will continue to render assistance to her as she grieves for her son.
The officials last met her on Oct 8 and assured her that there would be full investigations into her son’s case, and also provided her with the timeframe required for the investigation.
“She was also told the findings will be shared with her,” CNB added.
Separately, Mr Shanmugam has contacted Ms Ow after the letter was posted to him on Oct 1. He had assured her that a thorough review into Justin’s arrest and investigations would be conducted.
CNB said: “Justin’s mother was also provided with the contact details for Mr Shanmugam and Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim. She was told that she could contact the ministers directly, at any time, on this matter.”
This bitch should watch what she post. She has defamed our good CNB.
Really, than POFMA and sue till pants drop again -
Surely this can't be the only IO who forged statements in order to circumvent the tediousness of recording statements?
The alleged offences came to light following investigations by the Singapore Police Force's Internal Affairs Office.PHOTO: ST FILE
Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent
Oct 18, 2021
SINGAPORE - Eight coroner's inquiries that were earlier concluded were reopened over allegations that the investigation officer (IO) who handled the cases had forged statements from people including family members of the dead.
The court heard on Monday (Oct 18) that the cases involved IO Kenny Cheong, whose alleged offences came to light following investigations by the Singapore Police Force's Internal Affairs Office.
The Straits Times understands that he has been suspended.
All of the affected inquiries were earlier handled by then State Coroner Marvin Bay, and he had to look into the cases again.
At least four of them involved fatal traffic accidents. The inquiries into these cases had initially taken place in 2016 and 2017.
One of the cases involved deliveryman Tan Kiah Huat, who was riding a motorcycle shortly before he was involved in a traffic accident on Dec 21, 2016.
A man was driving a lorry in Jalan Bukit Merah towards Alexandra Road that day when he felt an impact on the rear of his vehicle.
Mr Tan was later found lying on the road and the police were notified at 3.25pm.
The 62-year-old Singaporean was taken to Singapore General Hospital and he died of multiple injuries about an hour later.
The court heard that IO Cheong later prepared a statement purportedly from Mr Tan's sister, who cannot speak or hear.
In the statement, she supposedly said that her brother was "behaving normally" before his death and that he had no suicidal tendencies.
It turned out that the statement had been fabricated.
A sign language interpreter later communicated with the woman and learnt that she could not recall being approached by IO Cheong to give her statement.
Coroner Bay said on Monday that it is uncertain what source material the policeman had referred to in allegedly fabricating the document.
He added: "Despite the fact of the conditioned statement of the next of kin being forged, (it concerned only) background information on Mr Tan's health and his absence of suicidal intent... I reconfirm my verdict of Mr Tan's demise from an unfortunate traffic misadventure."
Another case involved construction worker Mahamudul Islam Zia Md Sikat Ali, 36.
On Jan 16, 2016, the Bangladeshi was seen running across Kitchener Road in Little India before a lorry knocked him down.
He was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and he died of his injuries two days later.
On Monday, the court heard that IO Cheong allegedly forged a statement from an eyewitness for this case.
Investigations revealed that the content of this forged document was similar to that of an earlier written statement taken by another IO, who came from a team that dealt with non-fatal accidents.
Coroner Bay said on Monday: "(The other IO) had not been aware of the (victim's) demise at the time that she recorded the statement from (the witness). She had been required by existing protocol to hand (the case) over to IO Cheong upon Mr Mahamudul's demise.
"I would reconfirm my verdict that Mr Mahamudul's death is an unfortunate traffic misadventure."
IO Cheong is also said to have forged the statement of a man whose father died in a 2016 incident.
The father, Mr Ismail Mohd Noh, was riding a bicycle near Bedok North Road in the wee hours of Aug 3 that year when a taxi knocked him down.
He was taken to Changi General Hospital and he died of heart and lung injuries later that morning.
IO Cheong later allegedly forged a statement from Mr Ismail's son.
The court heard that the son recalled talking to the policeman only over the phone and had never met him personally.
Coroner Bay noted on Monday that the son said he had never been asked to sign a conditioned statement.
"While the conditioned statement of the next of kin was undeniably forged, (the evidence of Mr Ismail's son) would have been rather tangential background information as he had lost contact with his father," said the coroner.
"All considered, I would reconfirm that Mr Ismail's demise is an unfortunate traffic misadventure."
The hearing continues.
8 coroner's inquiries reopened after cop alleged to have forged statements
The alleged offences came to light following investigations by the Singapore Police Force's Internal Affairs Office.PHOTO: ST FILE
Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent
Oct 18, 2021
SINGAPORE - Eight coroner's inquiries that were earlier concluded were reopened over allegations that the investigation officer (IO) who handled the cases had forged statements from people including family members of the dead.
The court heard on Monday (Oct 18) that the cases involved IO Kenny Cheong, whose alleged offences came to light following investigations by the Singapore Police Force's Internal Affairs Office.
The Straits Times understands that he has been suspended.
All of the affected inquiries were earlier handled by then State Coroner Marvin Bay, and he had to look into the cases again.
At least four of them involved fatal traffic accidents. The inquiries into these cases had initially taken place in 2016 and 2017.
One of the cases involved deliveryman Tan Kiah Huat, who was riding a motorcycle shortly before he was involved in a traffic accident on Dec 21, 2016.
A man was driving a lorry in Jalan Bukit Merah towards Alexandra Road that day when he felt an impact on the rear of his vehicle.
Mr Tan was later found lying on the road and the police were notified at 3.25pm.
The 62-year-old Singaporean was taken to Singapore General Hospital and he died of multiple injuries about an hour later.
The court heard that IO Cheong later prepared a statement purportedly from Mr Tan's sister, who cannot speak or hear.
In the statement, she supposedly said that her brother was "behaving normally" before his death and that he had no suicidal tendencies.
It turned out that the statement had been fabricated.
A sign language interpreter later communicated with the woman and learnt that she could not recall being approached by IO Cheong to give her statement.
Coroner Bay said on Monday that it is uncertain what source material the policeman had referred to in allegedly fabricating the document.
He added: "Despite the fact of the conditioned statement of the next of kin being forged, (it concerned only) background information on Mr Tan's health and his absence of suicidal intent... I reconfirm my verdict of Mr Tan's demise from an unfortunate traffic misadventure."
Another case involved construction worker Mahamudul Islam Zia Md Sikat Ali, 36.
On Jan 16, 2016, the Bangladeshi was seen running across Kitchener Road in Little India before a lorry knocked him down.
He was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and he died of his injuries two days later.
On Monday, the court heard that IO Cheong allegedly forged a statement from an eyewitness for this case.
Investigations revealed that the content of this forged document was similar to that of an earlier written statement taken by another IO, who came from a team that dealt with non-fatal accidents.
Coroner Bay said on Monday: "(The other IO) had not been aware of the (victim's) demise at the time that she recorded the statement from (the witness). She had been required by existing protocol to hand (the case) over to IO Cheong upon Mr Mahamudul's demise.
"I would reconfirm my verdict that Mr Mahamudul's death is an unfortunate traffic misadventure."
IO Cheong is also said to have forged the statement of a man whose father died in a 2016 incident.
The father, Mr Ismail Mohd Noh, was riding a bicycle near Bedok North Road in the wee hours of Aug 3 that year when a taxi knocked him down.
He was taken to Changi General Hospital and he died of heart and lung injuries later that morning.
IO Cheong later allegedly forged a statement from Mr Ismail's son.
The court heard that the son recalled talking to the policeman only over the phone and had never met him personally.
Coroner Bay noted on Monday that the son said he had never been asked to sign a conditioned statement.
"While the conditioned statement of the next of kin was undeniably forged, (the evidence of Mr Ismail's son) would have been rather tangential background information as he had lost contact with his father," said the coroner.
"All considered, I would reconfirm that Mr Ismail's demise is an unfortunate traffic misadventure."
The hearing continues.
Jail for ex-police officer who forged documents to avoid investigating cases
Norazly Joihani committed 60 offences in all between January 2009 and November 2010, comprising mainly forgery. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
Ian Poh
JAN 8, 2015
SINGAPORE - A former investigation officer who repeatedly forged work documents to avoid having to perform his duties was jailed for 15 months on Thursday, in a unique case.
Then a sergeant attached to the Bedok police division's investigation branch, Norazly Joihani, 33, committed 60 offences in all between January 2009 and November 2010. These comprised mainly forgery.
He tampered with daily monitoring returns lists, which show police reports and the corresponding assignments and as a result did not need to start investigations into the matters as directed by his superior. Follow-up action into the 32 cases involved, including six unnatural deaths that required coroner's inquiries and 18 active matters, was not carried out until his actions came to light.
Norazly, whose services were terminated in March last year, also forged the acknowledgement forms for the return of case exhibits that had been seized during investigation. He returned the acknowledgment forms to the division store and the rightful owners never got their property returned to them. He kept the items instead.
Passing sentence, District Judge Toh Yung Cheong said Norazly's actions had diminished public trust and confidence in the efficiency of the police force here, and had undermined the integrity of Singapore's criminal justice system as a whole.
The maximum penalty for forgery is a jail term of four years and a fine. Forgery for the purpose of cheating carries up to 10 years in jail and a fine.
Policewoman jailed five months for forging statement of alleged molestation victim
Kalaivani Kalimuthu, who has been suspended from the Singapore Police Force since Sept 14, 2017, outside the court after she was found guilty of committing forgery on Dec 27, 2018.ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent
JAN 9, 2019
SINGAPORE - When a senior police officer was unable to meet an alleged molestation victim to interview her, she decided to speed up the investigation by forging the woman's statement.
Kalaivani Kalimuthu's account gave the impression that the alleged victim did not mind being touched and recommended that no further action be taken.
But when the woman was interviewed later, she denied making the statement - and the senior staff sergeant's deceit was uncovered.
Kalaivani was sentenced to five months' jail on Tuesday (Jan 8) after pleading guilty last month to a forgery charge.
She was an investigation officer at Ang Mo Kio Police Division between September 2011 and November 2016.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Stephanie Chew said the alleged victim had lodged a police report and provided a statement on March 27, 2016, saying she had been molested.
Police officer forged statement of alleged victim of molestation, portraying her as willing party
She was supposed to interview the woman but "encountered difficulty in arranging an interview", the court heard.She then forged the statement in her office in November 2016. In the statement, Kalaivani said that the woman had also touched the alleged molester and did not mind being touched herself.
Kalaivani forged the woman's signature then forwarded the investigation papers to her officer-in-charge on Nov 25, 2016, recommending that no further action be taken .
The case was later reassigned to Senior Investigation Officer (SIO) Pang Shijie.
In December 2016, the investigation papers were sent to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), recommending that the alleged victim be warned for providing false information.
But the AGC directed the police to record a further statement from the woman, who denied making the earlier statement when SIO Pang interviewed her in June 2017.
There was also no record of the woman visiting the station on the date Kalaivani purportedly recorded her statement.
Kalaivani has been suspended from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) since Sept 14, 2017.
In a statement, the SPF said other cases which she had been involved in were relooked to determine whether she had acted in a manner prejudicial to investigations. The statement added that officers are expected to uphold the law and maintain the highest standards of conduct and integrity. "We deal severely with officers who break the law, including charging them in court."
For forgery, Kalaivani could have been jailed for up to four years and fined.
All 8 reopened coroner's cases involved fatal crashes, with up to 4 allegedly forged statements each
The statements were allegedly forced by the then investigation officer, who has been suspended since Dec 27, 2018.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent
Oct 19, 2021
SINGAPORE - All eight coroner's inquiries that were reopened over allegations of forgery by the then investigation officer (IO) of the cases involved fatal road accidents.
A district court heard on Tuesday (Oct 19) that the officer, Station Inspector Kenny Cheong Chyuan Lih, is alleged to have forged between one and four statements per case.
His alleged offences came to light following investigations by the Internal Affairs Office of the Singapore Police Force.
The policeman, who has been suspended since Dec 27, 2018, allegedly forged statements by people including eyewitnesses and family members of the dead.
All of the affected inquiries had been handled by then State Coroner Marvin Bay, and he has to look into the cases again. The original inquiries had taken place between 2016 and 2018.
Seven cases have since been completed in the rehearings. Six cases were heard on Monday, and Coroner Bay was satisfied there had been no miscarriage of justice for them.
The inquiry into the death of security officer Tan Choon Lai, 56, involved four allegedly forged statements - the most in the eight cases.
He was riding a motorcycle along a slip road of the Pan-Island Expressway into Bukit Timah Expressway at around 12.40am on July 10, 2017, when he collided with a taxi before hitting a guard railing.
He was taken to the National University Hospital and died of multiple injuries later that morning.
Station Insp Cheong is said to have forged two statements from the taxi driver and one each from Mr Tan's sister and an eyewitness. Three of the statements were allegedly forged after he had conversations with the trio.
Coroner Bay said Mr Tan was later found to have 233mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. This is almost three times the legal limit of 80mg.
He added: "Mr Tan's grossly elevated postmortem blood alcohol level... would have likely caused severe intoxication, such as drowsiness, loss of coordination or poor judgment.
"Mr Tan's demise is... a traffic misadventure and follows a number of cases of individuals who have suffered fatal collisions... while inebriated."
The seventh case was heard on Tuesday morning and the court heard that Station Insp Cheong's alleged acts of forgery had no impact on its findings.
This case involved another security officer, Shaik Shamshudin E. K. Shaik Hussain, 59, who was crossing a road near the junction of Victoria Street and Arab Street on Dec 29, 2015, when a taxi hit him.
He was taken to the Singapore General Hospital and died of multiple injuries two days later.
Station Insp Cheong is later said to have forged three statements linked to the incident - one each from the taxi driver, an eyewitness and Mr Shaik's daughter.
On Tuesday, Coroner Bay said the contents of the forged documents linked to the driver and the eyewitness were found to be similar to earlier statements taken by another IO.
"These statements, which were verified to have come from the actual witnesses, had also deposed that Mr Shaik had failed to yield the right of way to the incoming traffic, resulting in the accident... I reaffirm my finding that Mr Shaik's demise is a most unfortunate traffic misadventure."
As for the matter involving Mr Shaik's daughter, the court heard that she had never seen the statement she had purportedly given Station Insp Cheong.
The eighth and final case involved a 66-year-old motorist who was killed following an accident in Woodlands in September 2016.
His family members were in court on Tuesday and highlighted issues of concern, such as the speed of the vehicles involved in the case.
Coroner Bay did not give his findings on this case, adding: "As the concerns included questions of whether the investigations were truly complete... the case was adjourned for... further investigations to be completed."
In an earlier statement, the police said they were unable to comment further on Station Insp Cheong's case as investigations are ongoing.
The accident happened on 21 Sep 2017
Norazlan was charged only on 17 Dec 2018, more than 1 year after the accident.
And was convicted and sentenced only on 22 Oct 2021, more than 4 years after the accident and almost 3 years after he was charged.
Why so long for a straightforward case of careless driving?
Norazlan Abdul Aziz leaving the State Courts on Aug 24, 2021. He was sentenced to two weeks' jail and disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for five years.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent
Oct 22, 2021
SINGAPORE - A policeman driving a car failed to slow down or stop before making a left turn, hitting an elderly pedestrian who later died in hospital.
After hitting her, he stopped his car "for around three seconds" before driving forward again, running the car over the woman, the court heard.
Norazlan Abdul Aziz, now 44, a station inspector, was on Friday (Oct 22) sentenced to two weeks' jail and disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for five years, after he pleaded guilty to causing the death of Ms Lee Swee Huak, 84, by negligent driving.
In an earlier statement, the police said that he was still in service, adding: "Should he be convicted in court subsequently, SPF (Singapore Police Force) will commence disciplinary proceedings against him."
Court documents did not mention if the Singaporean policeman was on the job or off duty at the time of the fatal accident.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Claire Poh said that Norazlan had exited a multi-storey carpark at Block 808 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1 and was driving along a service road near Block 807D towards the main road shortly before the accident on Sept 21, 2017.
Ms Lee was crossing a junction at the service road and Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1, but Norazlan failed to keep a proper lookout and hit her around 4.20pm.
DPP Poh said: "If the accused had stopped, he would have seen the deceased... the deceased was walking at a normal pace.
"The deceased fell on the road in front of the car. The accused then stopped the car for around three seconds before driving forward again. As a result, both the car's front and rear left tyres ran over the deceased."
The police were alerted and Ms Lee was taken to the National University Hospital where she died of multiple injuries about two hours later.
Defence lawyer Patrick Fernandez said that his client joined the SPF in 1999 as a corporal and rose through the ranks to become a station inspector.
The lawyer added that in the last decade, Norazlan had been an investigation officer who specialised in property-related crimes.
In his mitigation plea, Mr Fernandez said that his client is truly remorseful and deeply regrets the loss of Ms Lee's life.
Pleading for a high fine, the lawyer added: "Immediately after the accident, our client stopped and did his best to render assistance to the victim, including calling the ambulance and cooperated with police investigations."
Norazlan's bail was set at $10,000 on Friday and he was ordered to surrender himself at the State Courts on Oct 25 to begin serving his sentence.
For causing a death by negligent driving, an offender can be jailed for up to two years and fined.
Norazlan was charged only on 17 Dec 2018, more than 1 year after the accident.
And was convicted and sentenced only on 22 Oct 2021, more than 4 years after the accident and almost 3 years after he was charged.
Why so long for a straightforward case of careless driving?
Jail for cop who drove negligently, killing elderly pedestrian in accident
Norazlan Abdul Aziz leaving the State Courts on Aug 24, 2021. He was sentenced to two weeks' jail and disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for five years.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent
Oct 22, 2021
SINGAPORE - A policeman driving a car failed to slow down or stop before making a left turn, hitting an elderly pedestrian who later died in hospital.
After hitting her, he stopped his car "for around three seconds" before driving forward again, running the car over the woman, the court heard.
Norazlan Abdul Aziz, now 44, a station inspector, was on Friday (Oct 22) sentenced to two weeks' jail and disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for five years, after he pleaded guilty to causing the death of Ms Lee Swee Huak, 84, by negligent driving.
In an earlier statement, the police said that he was still in service, adding: "Should he be convicted in court subsequently, SPF (Singapore Police Force) will commence disciplinary proceedings against him."
Court documents did not mention if the Singaporean policeman was on the job or off duty at the time of the fatal accident.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Claire Poh said that Norazlan had exited a multi-storey carpark at Block 808 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1 and was driving along a service road near Block 807D towards the main road shortly before the accident on Sept 21, 2017.
Ms Lee was crossing a junction at the service road and Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1, but Norazlan failed to keep a proper lookout and hit her around 4.20pm.
DPP Poh said: "If the accused had stopped, he would have seen the deceased... the deceased was walking at a normal pace.
"The deceased fell on the road in front of the car. The accused then stopped the car for around three seconds before driving forward again. As a result, both the car's front and rear left tyres ran over the deceased."
The police were alerted and Ms Lee was taken to the National University Hospital where she died of multiple injuries about two hours later.
Defence lawyer Patrick Fernandez said that his client joined the SPF in 1999 as a corporal and rose through the ranks to become a station inspector.
The lawyer added that in the last decade, Norazlan had been an investigation officer who specialised in property-related crimes.
In his mitigation plea, Mr Fernandez said that his client is truly remorseful and deeply regrets the loss of Ms Lee's life.
Pleading for a high fine, the lawyer added: "Immediately after the accident, our client stopped and did his best to render assistance to the victim, including calling the ambulance and cooperated with police investigations."
Norazlan's bail was set at $10,000 on Friday and he was ordered to surrender himself at the State Courts on Oct 25 to begin serving his sentence.
For causing a death by negligent driving, an offender can be jailed for up to two years and fined.
