Prison officer fined S$4,000 for illegally accessing inmate’s data
The recidivism rate among inmates in Singapore continued its downward trend in 2021.
SINGAPORE – He knew he was not authorised to access an inmate’s personal particulars on the prison’s database, but Firoz Khan Shaik Fazaluddin did it at the behest of his superior, who was suspended and wanted the information for his personal use.
Firoz, 41, was fined S$4,000 on Thursday (March 1) by the District Court for one count of unauthorised access of the Prisons Operations and Rehabilitation System (Ports).
He holds the rank of Staff Sergeant and is currently suspended from his duties.
On July 24 last year, Firoz had received a phone call from Kobi Krishna Ayavoo – a 50-year-old senior chief warder with the Singapore Prison Service – requesting for the inmate number of Chong Keng Chye.
Kobi was unable to access Ports because he was suspended at the time.
Firoz knew about Kobi’s suspension but was unaware of the reasons behind it.
Court documents showed that Kobi had been interdicted from service since July 6 last year after being charged in court. He faces eight charges for attempting to obtain bribes amounting to S$81,000 in cash and loans from Chong, and is claiming trial.
During the phone call with Firoz, Kobi provided him with Chong’s identity card number to obtain the latter’s inmate number through Ports. Firoz did as told and passed the information to Kobi. Court documents did not mention why Kobi wanted Chong’s inmate number.
Calling for the court to impose a fine of S$4,000 to S$5,000 on Firoz, Deputy Public Prosecutor Loh Hui-min said Firoz knew he should access Ports only for official duties.
At the time of his offence, he knew he was not permitted or required to access Ports as he was with the prison’s estate management office, she added.
Firoz had committed a “serious breach of trust” as a public servant, said Ms Loh.
Defence lawyer Rabi Ahmad argued that Firoz was “pressured” by Kobi into retrieving the information and followed instructions as Kobi was his superior.
Although Firoz knew about Kobi’s suspension, he did not know Kobi had been charged in court for offences that implicated Chong, Mr Rabi added.
Meanwhile, Kobi faces up to five years’ jail and/or a fine of up to S$100,000 per charge, if convicted of attempting to obtain bribes.
