Changi Prison workshop supervisor and 4 inmates charged over smuggling sedative pills

SINGAPORE: A supervisor in a Changi Prison workshop and four inmates were charged on Friday (Nov 18) with corruption offences over the alleged smuggling of sedative pills into the prison. 

The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) said that it received information in early October 2021 that Calvin Ang, a vendor working as a supervisor in the workshop, had smuggled contraband Epam pills into prison premises for inmates.

"SPS conducted internal investigations to verify the information received, and promptly lodged a police report," it said in a statement. 

Ang was barred from entering SPS’s premises and the inmates who were alleged to be involved were isolated.

A search of the workshop, inmates’ cells and common areas uncovered some of the contraband pills, said SPS.

Epam pills contain nitrazepam, which is a medicine with sedative effects used in the treatment of conditions including insomnia or sleeping disorders.

The case was subsequently referred to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) for further investigation.

CORRUPTLY RECEIVED GRATIFICATIONS

The 39-year-old Ang, an employee of New Hope Food Industries at the time, was alleged to have corruptly received bribes totalling S$1,200 over five occasions from the four Changi Prison inmates - Ismail Musun Mollah, Irees Rahman, Sidek Jamaludin and Muhammad Shaifullah Ab Latif.

This happened between September and October 2021, CPIB said in a news release.

"These gratifications were rewards to purchase and smuggle Epam pills into Changi Prison for the four said individuals," CPIB said.

Ang faces five charges of corruption. Ismail Musun Mollah faces two charges, with the other three inmates facing one each. 

Anyone convicted of a corruption offence may be jailed for up to five years and/or fined up to S$100,000. 

SPS said that it has security measures to screen all personnel and goods entering prison premises. These include walk-through metal detectors, handheld metal detector screening, and random frisk searches.

"SPS adopts a zero-tolerance approach towards the smuggling of items into prison premises. All such cases will be investigated, and all persons, including vendors and inmates, if found guilty, will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law," it said.