Police officer who took bribes and obstructed investigations gets 78 months' jail

SINGAPORE: A police officer who took bribes to shield people from police action and obstructed investigations was sentenced on Friday (Aug 16) to 78 months’ jail and ordered to pay a penalty of S$32,500 (US$24,600).

Poo Tze Chiang was first charged in 2022 with seven counts of corruption and three counts of obstructing the course of justice.

In January, he was given four fresh corruption charges, of which one charge is amalgamated, as well as an additional charge of cheating and dishonestly inducing a delivery of property. 

Poo was found to have corruptly accepted or obtained gratifications in the form of cash and loans amounting to S$32,500 from Wang Huate and Cordell Chan Yuen Kwang, said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) on Friday. It added that Poo had shielded the duo from police action on three occasions.

Station Inspector Poo has been interdicted since Dec 7, 2020, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on Friday in response to CNA's queries, adding that it will commence internal action against him.

Wang had been arrested on or about Sep 14, 2019, following an altercation that broke out between members of two rival gangs at a club along Orchard Road.

A few days later Wang’s associate Chan, who was concerned the police would take action against them for their involvement in the altercation, sought help from an individual named Ng Chuan Seng.

Ng arranged for Chan and Wang to meet Poo at Ng’s KTV at Geylang Road, suggesting that the duo give a “red packet” to Poo for his assistance in “settling” the fighting incident, said CPIB.

Chan and Wang then gave Poo a red packet containing S$2,000 in cash during their meeting.

In February 2020, Wang was remanded by the police for further investigation, and upon his release he contacted Chan to seek Poo’s help in dealing with police investigations.

Poo requested S$20,000 for his assistance, and the trio met at a carpark along Hillview Rise where the money was handed over in cash in a plastic bag.

On Aug 5 that year, Poo called Chan informing him that Wang would be detained by police if he reported for bail that day. Chan immediately relayed Poo’s message to Wang, allowing him to avoid detention.

Later that day, the trio met at a void deck in the vicinity of Bukit Batok, where they would be approached by two patrolling police officers conducting a spot check.

However, Poo flashed his warrant card and identified himself as a police officer from the Secret Societies Branch before lying that he was “conducting operations”. As a result of Poo’s lies, the two police officers did not proceed with the spot check and left the area.

Chan had already realised that month that police were pursuing him, and thus on Aug 22 he asked Poo for his assistance.

Poo asked for S$10,000, though Chan ultimately agreed to pay him S$7,000. Chan handed over S$5,000 in cash to Poo, with the remaining S$2,000 handed over in September.

On Poo’s request, Chan also gave Poo loans totalling S$3,500 between November 2019 and September 2020 so that Poo would provide him with assistance regarding police’s investigations against him.

On Nov 25, Chan parked his car at a Bukit Batok carpark and went with Poo for a meal. After the meal, Poo was driving Chan back to his car when he noticed an unmarked car from the Secret Societies Branch in the carpark.

Knowing that Chan was wanted by police, Poo informed him about his colleague’s car and told him to alight and head to a nearby coffeeshop, allowing him to evade detection.

Some time later, Poo informed Chan that his colleagues were still in the vicinity of the carpark. Eventually, Chan decided not to return to his car and instead took a taxi home.

“Had the police seen Chan at the car park, they would have detained him,” CPIB said.

After being charged in 2022, he was handed additional counts of corruption and cheating for a separate case involving one Chen Guangyun. This case is still before the courts.

In September 2023, karaoke lounge owner Ng Chuan Seng was sentenced to five weeks' jail for helping his associates bribe Poo. 

"Officers of the Singapore Police Force are expected to uphold the law and maintain the highest standards of conduct and integrity. We deal severely with officers who break the law, including charging them in court, or referring them to an appropriate authority for investigations," said SPF.

"After the offences against Station Inspector Poo Tze Chiang were surfaced proactively through SPF's internal checks, SPF referred the case to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau and removed him from frontline duties."

Those convicted of corruption can be fined up to S$100,000 or sentenced to imprisonment of up to five years or to both.

Those convicted for obstruction of justice can get up to seven years in jail, be fined, or both.