The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) student and businessman who were questioned by the police in early November over a recent alleged hacking of the Istana's webpage have been arrested and will be charged in court on Friday.

The police without naming them said in a statement on Thursday that the two Singaporeans, aged 17 and 42, have been arrested earlier in the day, in connection with a report lodged on Nov 8 by the web administrator of the Istana website.

The Straits Times had previously reported on Nov 14 that ITE student Melvin Teo and businessman Delson Moo, are the duo believed to have been questioned by the police over the cyber intrusion. Mr Moo even admitted that he had committed the offence in a moment of folly. "It was purely a stupid mistake," he said. "My hand was itchy and... I got myself into trouble.

"The two suspects were arrested earlier today and will be charged in Court (on Friday) for an offence of unauthorised modification of computer material under Section 5(1) of the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act, Chapter 50A, which carries a punishment of a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or both," said a police spokesman.