Sentenced to Seven Months' Jail for Assault on Integrity

On 04 December 2017, one Lei Yanchen, a Chinese national, was sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment for his attempt to bribe an officer of the Singapore Police Force, and for voluntarily causing hurt to another person.

2. Lei had been charged in court on 28 September 2017 with one count under Section 6(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 241 for corruptly offering $50 to Police Sergeant Mervyn Pea Jia Wei (Mervyn), as an inducement not to arrest him for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon.

3. Lei had also been charged with one count of voluntarily causing hurt and one count of voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon, offences punishable under section 323 and section 324 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224, respectively.

4. Investigations had revealed that on 6 August 2017, Sergeant Mervyn had attended to a case involving Lei and two other individuals. Lei had gotten into a fight with one Zhong Bo (Zhong) whom he suspected was having an affair with his wife. Lei had hit Zhong’s head with a hammer-like object. While seeking medical treatment at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital for Zhong, Lei had attempted to bribe Sergeant Mervyn to refrain from arresting him. Lei tried to place a Singapore 50 dollar note in Sergeant Mervyn’s pocket. Sergeant Mervyn rejected the offer and arrested Lei. The attempted bribery was subsequently referred to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

5. In Singapore, it is an offence to bribe or attempt to bribe public officers. Any person who is convicted of a corruption offence can be fined up to $100,000 or sentenced to imprisonment of up to five years or to both. To combat corruption through swift and sure, firm but fair action

6. Singapore adopts a zero tolerance approach towards corruption. The CPIB takes a serious view of any corrupt practices and will not hesitate to take action against any party involved in such acts.

Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau