SINGAPORE: An Army captain with a gambling
addiction, on Friday was jailed 16 weeks and fined S$40,400 for
receiving loans in exchange for providing confidential information
about military projects.
Phua Poh Sim, 31, who has been suspended on no-pay
leave by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), pleaded guilty to two
charges of corruptly obtaining gratification in the form of loans,
which amounted to more than S$53,000.
Three other similar charges were taken into
consideration.
Phua received the money in mid-2008 from Richard Yow Wah, who was
the managing director of Certified Aerospace Singapore.
Investigations revealed that Phua had chalked up debts of about
S$100,000 after gambling at casinos onboard cruise ships.
Phua borrowed from various sources, including from his colleague,
Major John Cheong Chee Wai, who later introduced Phua to Yow.
Phua told Yow that he was involved in project work with the SAF and
he could help Yow's business by sharing information with him.
On May 3, 2008, Phua went to Yow's home and passed him a set of
documents containing confidential information relating to military
projects, which the SAF was keen to purchase.
These included information on the new army combat uniform.
Phua continued to provide confidential information to Yow in return
for loans on various occasions.
In mitigation, Phua's lawyer Mr Quek Mong Hua said that Phua had a
distinguished record where he was awarded several scholarships and
medals for his good service.
This included the prestigious SAF overseas merit scholarship.
He also came from a family with a military background as his father
is a warrant officer and his brother is also a captain in the
SAF.
In addition, Mr Quek urged the court to consider the nature of the
information revealed and said that Phua was mindful to not reveal
information that was highly damaging.
Mr Quek also noted that Phua was due for a promotion to the rank of
Major during the time of the offences and had confessed to his
misdeeds voluntarily during his interviews.
However, deputy public prosecutor Adrian Ooi said that Phua's
offences were a "disgrace to the SAF" and had compromised the
public image of Singapore as a corruption-free country.
Mr Ooi added that as an officer, Phua was not allowed to take loans
in any case.
The tall and bespectacled man remained emotionless during
sentencing.
Phua could have been jailed up to five years and jailed S$100,000
for each charge.
- CNA/ck