NParks officer charged with graft, taking upskirt photos
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Lee Choon Phing is out on $20,000 bail and is expected to be back in court on May 25.
An officer with the National Parks Board (NParks) was charged yesterday with corruption and cheating, and has also been accused of taking upskirt photos of multiple women.
Lee Choon Phing faces nine charges of insulting the modesty of a woman, and one charge each of cheating and corruption.
The 48-year-old was a manager of the Community in Bloom branch of NParks, an initiative to promote gardening culture.
Lee is alleged to have corruptly attempted to obtain $10,000 from a vendor that was supposed to provide 10,000 hats to NParks but only provided 5,000. This allegedly took place in February last year.
NParks had paid the full contract amount of $23,300 to the vendor without imposing late delivery fees after Lee allegedly deceived an NParks accounts executive.
As for the upskirt charges, Lee allegedly used his phone to take the photos of multiple women between 2015 and 2019.
The victims included those working at a nursery that supplies plants used in parks, and women on trains and near a school.
In a statement about the case, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said Singapore adopts a zero-tolerance approach towards graft and other crimes.
Lee, who is out on $20,000 bail, is expected to be back in court on May 25.
If convicted of corruption, he may be jailed for up to seven years, or fined up to $100,000, or both.
If convicted of cheating, he may be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
If convicted of taking upskirt photos, he may be jailed for up to a year, or fined, or both, on each charge.
Those wishing to report a graft case can call CPIB on 1800-376-0000, go to www.cpib.gov.sg/ e-complaint, or send an e-mail to report@cpib.gov.sg
They can also visit or write to CPIB headquarters at 2 Lengkok Bahru.
