4 former ICA officers charged with corruption

SINGAPORE — Four former officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) were charged today (Jan 9) with accepting bribes for facilitating or granting visit passes that would allow foreigners to prolong their stay in Singapore.

The men — Ezhar Kahmis, 25; Lukmanulhakim Samsun, 29; Mohamed Nazrul Noor Mohamed, 34; and Nor Hidayat Mohamed Hussain, 26 — were ICA Specialists at Tuas Checkpoint.

Their duties included assessing whether foreigners met entry requirements, and granting eligible visitors to Singapore visit passes.

The four men allegedly committed the offences in 2010 and 2011.

The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said investigations revealed that the four men were recruited by former ICA officer Mohammed Mustaffa Mohabat Ali in his scheme to grant visit passes to foreign women to extend their stay in Singapore in return for money.

The four men allegedly received amounts of between S$50 and S$100 for their parts in facilitating and assisting him.

At least one of the men — Nor Hidayat — has indicated he intends to claim trial.

Mustaffa was jailed 21 months in December last year for receiving and giving bribes.

The four men are out on bail of S$10,000 each, and their cases will be mentioned in court next month. CHANNEL NEWSASIA