Ex-Customs officer accused of seeking sexual bribe

A former Singapore Customs officer was charged in court yesterday with trying to obtain a bribe from a woman caught with having contraband cigarettes.

But Jonathan Sasayiah, 28, was not looking for financial gains allegedly, but intimate acts from Ms Nursusilla Kassim.

In return, he would allegedly show her leniency for possessing contraband cigarettes on July 15.

His lawyer, Mr Patrick Fernandez, sought a three-week adjournment to take instructions from his client, who is not pleading guilty.

A statement from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said law enforcement officers are vested with the authority to clamp down on illicit activities in Singapore.

Any law enforcement officer who even tries to abuse this authority for personal and corrupt gains will face severe consequences, it said.

"Singapore has always adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption," it added.

It said the bureau takes a serious view of any corrupt practices, and will not hesitate to take action against any party involved in such acts.

Sasayiah's $5,000 bail has been extended until the next mention on Dec 4.

If convicted, he could be fined up to $100,000 and/or jailed for up to five years.

elena@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Nov 14, 2014.
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