A former senior investigation officer with the Commercial Affairs Department was charged with criminal breach of trust (CBT) and obstructing the course of justice yesterday.

Yeo Lwee Siong, 41, is accused of dishonestly misappropriating $4,700 in restitution money sometime between October 2011 and February 2012. The money belonged to the victims of an insurance fraud case that he was investigating.

Yeo is also said to have shredded a police statement and an acknowledgement form relating to the restitution money, which had been handed to him.

A pre-trial conference has been fixed for Jan 21. Yeo, who did not enter a plea and is out on $15,000 bail, has engaged Mr K. Jayakumar Naidu as his defence lawyer.

Yeo resigned from the Singapore Police Force in 2012.

In a statement, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said: "Singapore adopts a zero-tolerance approach towards crime, and law enforcement officers are expected to uphold high standards of integrity and discipline."

The authorities, it added, take a serious view of criminal conduct by law enforcement officers, and will not hesitate to take swift action against such perpetrators.

If convicted of criminal breach of trust as a servant, Yeo faces life imprisonment or a jail term of up to 20 years, and a fine.

If found guilty of obstructing the course of justice, he faces up to seven years' jail and/or a fine.

Amir Hussain