Ex-cop charged after he allegedly went on MHA portal, unlawfully shared info with man

SINGAPORE – A police investigation officer allegedly accessed a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) computer platform without authority to obtain information on two people on separate occasions in 2023 and 2024.

Patrick Lim Kei Hao is then said to have shared the information with one Yong Yuheng, 32, who currently faces multiple pending charges for offences including those linked to the benefits of criminal activities.

On July 14, Lim, 45, who is no longer working as a police officer, was handed two charges under the Official Secrets Act and four counts of misusing a computer system.

In a statement, the Singapore Police Force said he was earlier removed from front-line duties after an investigation was launched into his case. He resigned from the force in June 2024.

Court documents stated that from around December 2023 to February 2024, a woman identified as Jenny Pham Thi Hue, 39, allegedly solicited Lim to directly communicate to Yong information linked to two mobile phone numbers.

Currently, Pham also faces multiple pending charges for offences including misusing a computer system.

Lim is accused of going on an MHA computer portal on Dec 21, 2023, and conducting a search with one of the phone numbers to access a man’s information. He then allegedly shared the man’s name, identity card number and address with Yong.

On Feb 22, 2024, Lim purportedly committed similar offences involving the other phone number, which was linked to a second person.

Separately, Lim is also accused of accessing the MHA portal without authority on 19 other occasions between October 2022 and April 2024.

Court documents did not disclose why he allegedly did so, and his pre-trial conference will be held on Aug 20.