Source: l16812 on Flickr
On Monday (26 Aug), an ICA officer was sentenced to 14 months in prison for stealing a total of S$650 from five travellers at Changi Airport.
According to The Straits Times (ST), 36-year-old Muhammad Fadhil Mohamed Salleh was employed at Terminal 4’s departure hall when he committed the thefts.
Source: Changi Airport Group
He pleaded guilty to three charges involving S$550 stolen from three individuals.
The court also considered two additional charges related to the remaining amount during sentencing.
Court documents reveal that Fadhil misused his position to steal cash from departing travellers in September 2023.
On 20 Sept, he targeted a 33-year-old man from Vanuatu, who was flagged by the immigration system for unspecified reasons.
Fadhil led the man, referred to as “V4”, to an interview room and asked him to empty his bag on a table.
He then began counting the cash from V4 in his presence, doing so in segments.
Source: MJ_Prototype on Canva, for illustration purposes only
As he reached the final portion, he discreetly pocketed several notes while V4 was repacking his belongings.
After completing the count, Fadhil allowed V4 to proceed through immigration.
During the investigation, the ICA officer admitted that he stole at least S$50.
He employed the same technique with two other victims on 26 and 28 Sept.
In total, Fadhil stole S$550 from these three individuals. ST’s report did not provide details about the remaining S$100.
One victim reported the theft through ICA’s feedback channel, prompting an internal investigation.
ICA subsequently filed a police report on 1 Oct.
In court, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Mark Chia emphasised that Fadhil’s actions severely undermine Singapore’s standing as a leading international travel hub.
He argued that such offences compromise the nation’s reputation as one of the world’s safest tourist destinations, questioning:
If travellers are not safe from even its (law enforcement officers), who are they safe from?
DPP Chia recommended a 15-month prison sentence to serve as a deterrent and to express zero tolerance for abuse of authority.
Fadhil’s bail was set at S$10,000, and he is scheduled to begin serving his sentence on 9 Sept.
Also read: Traveller accuses ICA officer of being rude & shares his photos online, police investigating
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Featured image adapted from l16812 on Flickr.
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