Two partners of a private investigation agency have been charged after they allegedly conducted surveillance on a police officer who was working at the Police Cantonment Complex in Outram Park.
The 57-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman were charged for their suspected involvement in providing private investigation services without approval, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a news release on Thursday (30 Oct).
Source: Google Maps
The duo were partners in a licensed Private Investigation Agency (PIA), SPF said.
They had accepted a job from a male client to conduct surveillance on a police officer.
This police officer had been investigating a police case against a family member of the client.
However, the officer worked at Police Cantonment Complex, which is classified as a Protected Place under the Infrastructure Protection Act 2017.
That meant the duo should have obtained prior approval from the Police Regulatory Department before carrying out the surveillance.
They did not get this approval before accepting and carrying out the assignment, which involved four private investigators following the police officer at his residence and his workplace.
Source: mostafa meraji on Unsplash. Photo for illustration purposes only.
After the police discovered that he was under surveillance, he made a police report on 10 Jan 2022.
The duo, as well as the other private investigators, were identified with the aid of images from police cameras and CCTV.
However, during the investigations, the woman deleted WhatsApp communications with the client from her phone after getting approval from the man.
This was to delete evidence of their wrongdoing.
The two private investigation agency partners were charged on Thursday (30 Oct) with carrying out a security assignment without prior approval under the Private Security Industry Act 2007.
If convicted, they could each be jailed for up to two years and/or fined up to S$50,000.
Additionally, the woman was charged with allegedly obstructing justice under the Penal Code 1871. The man was charged with allegedly abetting her to delete the evidence.
This offence carries a prison term of up to seven years and/or a fine.
The man was identified by The Straits Times as Tan Kok Boon, 57, while the woman is Tan Hui Ting, 32.
SPF said this was the first case of a PIA being hired to conduct surveillance on a police officer for investigating a police case.
It told ST that the four private investigators, aged between 25 and 43, were given a stern warning.
Police investigations against the male client are ongoing.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps.