Gilbert Oh Hin Kwan arriving at State Courts on Apr 26, 2024.
SINGAPORE - A director-general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) pleaded guilty on April 26 to giving false information to a public servant.
Gilbert Oh Hin Kwan, 45, admitted that he had lied to then MFA deputy secretary (management), Mr Ong Eng Chuan on Jan 19, 2023.
Oh’s two cheating charges involving the use of the diplomatic bag service will be considered during sentencing.
A diplomatic bag is used for sending official correspondence and items to and from the ministry and its overseas offices, such as embassies or consulates.
It is sealed and protected by diplomatic immunity and cannot be opened, searched or seized by Customs officials.
Oh’s troubles with the law started when he wanted to do a personal favour for a female friend, who is a Chinese national, by helping her send her watches from China to Singapore.
The prosecution said that the friend, identified in court documents as Ms Jiang Si, was not a diplomat.
On Jan 12, 2023, Oh contacted his colleague, Mr Dion Loke Cheng Wang, who was then attached to the Singapore embassy in Beijing, and lied to the latter, claiming that the parents of his friend – a Chinese diplomat – wanted to have “something in a package” delivered to Oh in Singapore.
Oh asked for Mr Loke’s help to send it from Beijing to Singapore via the diplomatic bag service and Mr Loke agreed to the request.
Oh also provided Mr Loke’s residential address in Beijing to Ms Jiang and she arranged for a sealed package to be delivered to Mr Loke.
It contained 21 luxury watches, a ring, and about seven children’s books, which belonged to Ms Jiang and her partner, one Liu Liang. The prosecution did not disclose the total value of the items.
At the time, Oh was not aware of the number of watches or the exact contents of the package.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Pei Wei told the court: “Dion did not arrange to have the package dispatched to Singapore in the diplomatic bag service as it was suspended at the time.
“On Jan 17, 2023, Dion took a flight from China to Singapore. He carried the sealed package in his personal luggage.”
The offences came to light when Mr Loke was stopped by officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority for a bag screening and the package was found.
“Dion told the officers that he had not known what the package contained (and that) he had received it from a Chinese diplomat and was carrying it back for (Oh),” said DPP Tan.
The matter was then referred to the Singapore Police Force.
On Jan 19, 2023, Mr Ong told Oh to provide a written account of the circumstances that led to Mr Loke bringing the package and watches into Singapore.
In an e-mail to Mr Ong, Oh lied that the watches belonged to his father; and that his father had requested that Oh assist him in bringing these watches to Singapore.
In an earlier statement, MFA said that Oh has been on no-pay leave while investigations are ongoing. It did not specify when investigations began.
On April 26, defence lawyer Shashi Nathan said that his client offered his resignation on April 25 and the matter is still pending.
Oh is expected to be sentenced on May 20.
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