2 weeks’ jail for ex-national canoeist who pocketed over $4k in purported fees for training camps
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Gwee pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal breach of trust on April 6.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE – A former national canoeing athlete was sentenced to two weeks’ jail for misappropriating money supposedly meant for training camps.
Jessica Gwee Shou-Fung, 44, pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal breach of trust on April 6.
The court heard she was the chairperson of the sport of canoe slalom under the Singapore Canoe Federation (SCF) at the time of her offences.
Gwee had served as chairperson of canoe slalom from 2016 to 2019. She subsequently returned as chairperson in 2023 to prepare the national team to represent Singapore in canoe slalom in the 2025 SEA Games.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jonathan Tan said Gwee’s involvement with canoe slalom had always been voluntary, and she did not receive any salary for her contributions.
In preparation for the 2025 SEA Games, Gwee explored overseas training camps for the canoe slalom athletes.
On Feb 3, 2025, the SCF received an e-mail invitation from the Rowing and Canoeing Association of Thailand for training camps in Pattaya, Thailand.
The e-mail included forms which specified that accommodation, airport transfer and boat rental were free for South-east Asian teams.
SCF forwarded the e-mail to the official e-mail address for its canoe slalom team, of which Gwee had sole control.
Two days later, Gwee responded directly to the event organiser by e-mail, expressing interest in participating in the camps and attached the completed forms.
However, Gwee told the participants’ parents that there were various costs for the training camps and collected money from them.
She also asked for the money to be transferred to her personal bank account so that she could convert it into Thai baht to pay for the necessary expenses for the team.
On Feb 5, 2025, one parent transferred $2,260 to Gwee, while another paid $2,400 to her two days later, thinking they were paying for their children’s participation in the camps.
Around a month later, investigations began against Gwee after complaints were lodged with SCF that she had been collecting funds in excess of actual costs for these overseas events.
It was not stated in court documents who made the complaints.
Gwee has since made restitution to both parents.
Those who commit criminal breach of trust can be jailed for up to seven years, fined, or both.
