Four former Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers were charged with corruption on Thursday for allegedly assisting foreigners in prolonging their stay in Singapore by helping grant them Visit Passes.

The four officers - Ezhar Kamis, 25, Lukmanulhakim Samsun, 29, Mohamed Nazrul Noor Mohamed, 34, and Nor Hidayat Mohamed Hussain, 26 - were ICA specialists at Tuas Checkpoint. Their duties included assessing whether foreigners met entry requirements, and granting Visit Passes to visitors for a period of a stay in Singapore. They are no longer with the ICA.

In a press release, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said that investigations revealed that the four were recruited by former ICA officer Mohammed Mustaffa Mohabat Ali to help in a scheme to grant foreign women Visit Passes, extending their stay in exchange for money. The four accused received between $50 and $100 for playing their part.

Mustaffa was sentenced to 21 months in jail and ordered to pay a penalty of $8,050 on Dec 9, 2013 for giving and receiving bribes. The cases of the other four accused have been adjourned to next month.