MFA director-general charged with deceiving ministry over packages sent between S’pore and China
A director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Gilbert Oh Hin Kwan was on Nov 23 charged with deceiving MFA, abetting the cheating of the ministry and giving false information to a public servant.
Oh, a 44-year-old Singaporean, faces three charges. His name is not found on MFA’s website.
Oh allegedly dishonestly concealed from MFA that a package containing boxes of Panadol sent from Singapore to Beijing, China, via the diplomatic bag service was for a personal acquaintance, rather than for his colleague, Mr Dion Loke Cheng Wang.
His charge stated that MFA accepted the package for dispatch on that basis in December 2022, which it would not have done so had it known the truth.
Mr Loke is listed as the first secretary (political) of MFA’s Beijing embassy.
A diplomatic bag is a package used for conveying official correspondence and items to and from the foreign ministry and its overseas offices, such as embassies or consulates. It is sealed and protected by diplomatic immunity and cannot be opened, searched or seized by customs.
Oh is also accused of abetting Mr Loke in cheating MFA on Jan 12, 2023, by instigating the latter to dispatch a package containing luxury watches from China to Singapore via the diplomatic bag service without disclosing that the package did not belong to and was not intended for Mr Loke.
On Jan 19, 2023, Oh allegedly gave false information to MFA deputy secretary Mr Ong Eng Chuan by telling him that the luxury watches in the package carried by Mr Loke into Singapore on Jan 17 belonged to his father.
During the hearing, the prosecution said it was ready to proceed with two of Oh’s three charges if he wished to plead guilty.
Oh’s lawyer, Mr Shashi Nathan from Withers KhattarWong, asked for a slightly longer adjournment of the case as he needed to ask for documentation and contact the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
Oh’s case will be heard again on Dec 21.
The Straits Times has contacted MFA for more information.
For deceiving MFA, Oh can be jailed for up to three years and fined.
The offence of abetting the cheating of MFA carries the same maximum punishment.
For giving false information to a public servant, Oh can be fined and jailed for up to two years.
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