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Senior ICA officer jailed for corruption
He had sex with immigration offender he was investigating
By Khushwant Singh
Chung Cheong Weng, 60, was sentenced to a total of eight months' jail for his offences. -- PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
HE STARTED out as an office boy in 1970 and rose to become a chief immigration and checkpoints specialist.
But Chung Cheong Weng, 60, was left surveying the tatters of his career yesterday as he is now bound for jail.
The cause of the downfall of this married father of three grown sons: accepting sexual favours from a 36-year-old Chinese national he was supposed to have been investigating, which earned him a six-month jail term.
He was handed another two months for hindering investigations by asking her to keep mum about their relationship and to delete cellphone text messages they had exchanged.
Chung, convicted last week, has been suspended from duty on half pay by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) since June 2007.
He will now be dismissed.
During the 12-day trial last month, the court heard that the woman involved, Ms Li Yanxiu, was arrested for using a false passport in July 2006.
She was jailed for four months and Chung, then attached to ICA's investigation branch, was assigned to check whether she had paid for a sponsor to extend her social visit pass.
At a meeting in prison, he lied to her that he was a bachelor and said he fancied her.
Upon her release in October 2006, he got her a special pass to stay here while ICA's investigations were ongoing. He continued to court her, and on Dec 27 that year, they had sex at Bright Star Hotel in Geylang.
Investigations into her sponsorship were completed the following month. Nothing was found that incriminated her.
So she should have been deported, but Chung recommended to his bosses that she remain here, as her file was apparently still with the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).
On the side, he had sex with her in the same hotel four more times until April 2007. He claimed in his own defence that the sex was not free, as he had paid $800 for her companionship.
But Deputy Public Prosecutor Vala Muthupalaniappan produced police statements in which Chung said he did not pay for the sex.
Testifying as a prosecution witness, Ms Li told the court that the money he gave her were 'gifts'. She added that she would not have slept with him had he not been an immigration officer in a position to extend her special pass.
It was not revealed during the trial how his offences were uncovered.
Another senior ICA officer is expected to be sentenced today for corruption: Dong Ching Jit, 56, accepted $140,000 in bribes to extend some foreign nationals' social visit passes.
An ICA spokesman said yesterday it would not hesitate to ensure its errant officers would face the full brunt of the law, and that officers who abused their positions or broke the law would be weeded out.
The CPIB said fewer than 20 public servants on average are charged with corruption every year. Its spokesman warned that the bureau would take enforcement action against public officers who accept or solicit gratification in any form. The maximum penalty for corruption is a five-year jail term and a $100,000 fine on each charge.
He had sex with immigration offender he was investigating
By Khushwant Singh
Chung Cheong Weng, 60, was sentenced to a total of eight months' jail for his offences. -- PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
HE STARTED out as an office boy in 1970 and rose to become a chief immigration and checkpoints specialist.
But Chung Cheong Weng, 60, was left surveying the tatters of his career yesterday as he is now bound for jail.
The cause of the downfall of this married father of three grown sons: accepting sexual favours from a 36-year-old Chinese national he was supposed to have been investigating, which earned him a six-month jail term.
He was handed another two months for hindering investigations by asking her to keep mum about their relationship and to delete cellphone text messages they had exchanged.
Chung, convicted last week, has been suspended from duty on half pay by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) since June 2007.
He will now be dismissed.
During the 12-day trial last month, the court heard that the woman involved, Ms Li Yanxiu, was arrested for using a false passport in July 2006.
She was jailed for four months and Chung, then attached to ICA's investigation branch, was assigned to check whether she had paid for a sponsor to extend her social visit pass.
At a meeting in prison, he lied to her that he was a bachelor and said he fancied her.
Upon her release in October 2006, he got her a special pass to stay here while ICA's investigations were ongoing. He continued to court her, and on Dec 27 that year, they had sex at Bright Star Hotel in Geylang.
Investigations into her sponsorship were completed the following month. Nothing was found that incriminated her.
So she should have been deported, but Chung recommended to his bosses that she remain here, as her file was apparently still with the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).
On the side, he had sex with her in the same hotel four more times until April 2007. He claimed in his own defence that the sex was not free, as he had paid $800 for her companionship.
But Deputy Public Prosecutor Vala Muthupalaniappan produced police statements in which Chung said he did not pay for the sex.
Testifying as a prosecution witness, Ms Li told the court that the money he gave her were 'gifts'. She added that she would not have slept with him had he not been an immigration officer in a position to extend her special pass.
It was not revealed during the trial how his offences were uncovered.
Another senior ICA officer is expected to be sentenced today for corruption: Dong Ching Jit, 56, accepted $140,000 in bribes to extend some foreign nationals' social visit passes.
An ICA spokesman said yesterday it would not hesitate to ensure its errant officers would face the full brunt of the law, and that officers who abused their positions or broke the law would be weeded out.
The CPIB said fewer than 20 public servants on average are charged with corruption every year. Its spokesman warned that the bureau would take enforcement action against public officers who accept or solicit gratification in any form. The maximum penalty for corruption is a five-year jail term and a $100,000 fine on each charge.
