30-4-2024 (SINGAPORE) In a dramatic turn of events, a former police officer, Koh Kian Tiong, found himself facing the full force of the law after being charged with 14 counts of corruption on April 29, 2024. The charges stem from a series of alleged offences that occurred between 2006 and 2007, during which Koh is accused of obtaining or accepting bribes from a former syndicate leader, Chua Chin Hoe, who operated a chain of illegal gambling houses.
Koh’s return to Singapore on April 28, 2024, after completing a prison sentence in China for separate criminal offences, marked the end of a 17-year absence that had seen him evade justice for nearly two decades. His repatriation, however, has set the stage for a legal reckoning that promises to shed light on a deeply troubling chapter in the nation’s law enforcement history.
According to a press release from the Corruption Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), Koh, who was an assistant superintendent of police attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the time of the alleged offences, is accused of obtaining a total of S$47,700 in bribes from Chua on several occasions between 2006 and 2007. Additionally, Koh is alleged to have accepted an unspecified sum in the form of alcohol and entertainment from Chua during the same period.
The gratifications, as alleged by the CPIB, were obtained or accepted as inducements for Koh to show favour to Chua in police-related matters – a gross breach of trust that strikes at the very heart of the law enforcement profession’s integrity.
Chua himself was no stranger to the consequences of his actions, having been sentenced in 2012 to four-and-a-half years in prison and fined S$20,000 for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Common Gaming House Act. Three other police officers were also charged and sentenced in 2010 for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act in connection with Koh’s alleged offences, further underscoring the depth of the corruption that had taken root.
The CPIB’s investigation into Koh’s alleged misdeeds began in 2007, but the former officer had already fled the country by that time, despite promising to return to Singapore. His absence prompted the court to issue a warrant for his arrest after he failed to respond to notices posted at his door, and an Interpol Red Notice was also issued in an effort to apprehend him.
It was not until 2019 that Koh’s whereabouts became known, when he was jailed in China – a revelation that paved the way for his eventual repatriation and the subsequent charges he now faces.
The prosecution, recognizing the gravity of Koh’s alleged actions and his history of evasion, has applied for bail to be denied, citing the risk of him absconding once again.
In a separate development, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) has confirmed that it is also investigating Koh for criminal breach of trust as a public servant and desertion, in addition to the CPIB’s corruption probe. The SPF has stated that it rendered full assistance to the CPIB during the course of their investigations, underscoring the collaborative effort to bring Koh to justice.
