TWO Singapore Land Authority (SLA) officers are suspected of
conspiring to cheat SLA of some $11.8 million over a two-year
period.
Koh Seah Wee, deputy director of SLA's Technology and
Infrastructure Department (TID) and Christopher Lim Chai Meng, a
manager in the same department, are believed to have created false
invoices through various business entities for fictitious IT
maintenance goods and services that were not delivered.
The transactions, which took place between January 2008 and
March this year, came to light after the SLA detected a number of
irregular payments in the department where Koh and Lim worked.
On detection, SLA made a police report. Koh has since been
charged with 249 counts of cheating and other offencers, while Lim,
as well as the individuals running the businesses which are
believed to have provided the false invoices, are assisting the
police in investigations.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, the SLA and the Ministry of Law
said SLA had in place finance and procurement processes which were
in accordance with Government guidelines.
'The two officers are suspected of conspiring with each other
and with the said business entities, thus enabling them to
circumvent the checks and balances in the processes,' the spokesman
said.
-- ST
