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Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau
Press Releases

MFA Officer Charged For Cheating And Giving False Information To a Public Servant

Type

Public

23 November 2023

A former MFA Director-General faces charges for misusing the diplomatic bag service and giving false information.

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On 23 November 2023, Oh Hin Kwan Gilbert (“Oh”) (胡鑫权, 44-year-old male Singaporean), a Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (“MFA”) at the material time, was charged in Court with offences under Sections 417 and 182 of the Penal Code 1871.

2. It is alleged that sometime in December 2022, Oh dishonestly concealed from the MFA that a package containing boxes of Panadol sent from Singapore to his MFA colleague in Beijing via the diplomatic bag service was intended for a personal acquaintance, rather than the said MFA colleague. MFA was induced to accept the package for dispatch via the diplomatic bag service on that basis, which it would not have done had it known the truth.  For his alleged act, Oh faces one charge for an offence punishable under Section 417 of the Penal Code 1871.

3. It is further alleged that on 12 January 2023, Oh abetted the cheating of MFA by an MFA colleague, by instigating the colleague to dispatch a package containing luxury watches from China to Singapore via the diplomatic bag service, without disclosing that the package belonged to and was intended for someone else, not the said colleague. For his alleged act, Oh faces one charge for an offence punishable under Section 417 read with Section 116 of the Penal Code 1871.

4. On 19 January 2023, Oh allegedly gave false information concerning the owner of the package of the luxury watches to the Deputy Secretary of MFA, by stating that the watches belonged to his (Oh’s) father, when he knew this was not true. For his alleged act, Oh faces a charge for an offence punishable under Section 182 of the Penal Code 1871.

5. Any person convicted of an offence under Section 417 of the Penal Code 1871 may be fined or sentenced to imprisonment of up to three years or to both. Any person convicted of an offence under Section 182 of the Penal Code 1871 may be fined or sentenced to imprisonment of up to two years or to both.

Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau