Former ICA officer jailed for lying that ex-boss possibly took photos of man in toilet
File photo of the State Courts in Singapore. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
SINGAPORE: A former Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer was jailed 10 weeks on Monday (Jun 8) for making a false claim that his former boss could have taken photos of a man in the toilet.
Thomas Foo Jian Yao, 30, had been angry with his previous supervisor and wanted to have senior management investigate him.
Foo, who was suspended from ICA in December 2019 and resigned in February, pleaded guilty in March to one charge of giving false information to a public servant.
He was an assistant superintendent at ICA under Superintendent Lee Teck Seng for two years from October 2016.
Foo was unhappy with Mr Lee, as he felt the latter had discredited him in front of superiors and failed to resolve certain matters directly with Foo.
While on holiday in Thailand in August 2019, Foo set up an email account and bought a phone and SIM card, before emailing nine members of ICA's senior management.
He claimed to be a counsellor named Joseph who was with his son at Seah Im Food Centre when he saw Mr Lee pointing his phone at another person in the toilet.
He said that Mr Lee could have been taking pictures of the purported victim's private parts.
Foo attached a photo of Mr Lee, and ended the email with the lines: "I am not going to blow things up. I just want this person, if really he took such photos, to internally receive some counselling and advice."
However, Foo was later identified and admitted that the allegations were false. Because of his fake claims, the victim was subjected to investigations and had his phone and family devices seized.
Foo's defence lawyer said his client has since done a lot of self-reflection and has started going for counselling.
For knowingly giving false information to a public servant, Foo could have been jailed for up to a year and fined up to S$5,000 or both.
ICA told CNA previously that it takes a serious view of errant officers, and that those who break the law will be dealt with accordingly.
