Former NEA officer charged with graft involving more than $500 in total
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SINGAPORE - A former National Environment Agency (NEA) officer is accused of graft offences involving more than $500 in total.
Mohamad Shahril Selasa, 32, allegedly obtained or attempted to obtain the bribes in the form of loans from 13 people who had dormitories under their charge at the time.
According to court documents, he allegedly obtained $293 in bribes and attempted to get another $241. He was handed 19 graft charges on Tuesday.
Shahril was a vector control officer with the agency when he allegedly committed the offences in November and December 2021.
According to a job listing on the MyCareersFuture website, such officers perform tasks including helping to carry out surveillance works involving control of pests such as rodents and mosquitoes.
Shahril, who is no longer working for NEA, is accused of committing the offences in exchange for showing leniency during vector control operations at the dormitories.
Each charge involved between $7 and $70.
Responding to queries from The Straits Times, NEA said Shahril had been on a one-year contract that expired on April 1, 2022.
Its spokesman added: “NEA does not condone any acts by its officers that violate Singapore’s laws and adopts a zero-tolerance stance against all forms of corrupt behaviour. NEA has been cooperating fully with the investigations, will continue to do so for the court proceedings.”
Shahril is expected to plead guilty on April 21.
For each count of graft, an offender can be jailed for up to five years and fined up to $100,000.
