Senior cop demoted, dismissed for sexually exploiting women in custody

Senior cop demoted, dismissed for sexually exploiting women in custody
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The senior police investigator who molested one suspected sex worker and got another to perform sex acts on him in a police interview room has been demoted and dismissed.

Lee Sze Chiat, 39, who was a senior staff sergeant with 17 years' experience, was jailed for a year and given one stroke of the cane in November last year.

He had been interdicted from service since Dec 26, 2017, and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) commenced disciplinary proceedings against him after his conviction on Nov 19 last year.

According to information published in the Government Gazette last Thursday, Lee was demoted to the rank of police constable and dismissed from the SPF effective Dec 21 last year. He joined the force in 2002.

He was a senior investigation officer at Jurong Division at the time of the offences. Last Friday, a police spokesman confirmed with The New Paper that Lee had been dismissed.

On Nov 20 last year, TNP reported that on Dec 6, 2017, Lee volunteered to help with a case after learning of the arrests of two women from China who were suspected to be sex workers. The women, aged 28 and 29, were held at Jurong Police Divisional Headquarters.

Lee brought the women one at a time to an interview room alone.

There, he molested the 28-year-old over her T-shirt while her hands were cuffed and made her massage him.

He also asked her for "services" but she refused.

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Lee later got the 29-year-old woman to perform sex acts on him while her hands were also cuffed.

The first victim later lodged a police report against him.

Prosecutors said the case was one of the most serious disciplinary offences that may be committed by a cop.

They had argued Lee had exploited vulnerable victims under his charge and his acts were a callous dereliction of duty.

A police spokesman had told TNP then that the SPF takes a zero-tolerance approach to officers who break the law.

She added this was an isolated case that does not represent the professional and disciplined conduct of other SPF officers.

This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.

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