Ex-principal of River Valley High charged for giving false information to CPIB investigator

SINGAPORE — The former principal of River Valley High School — who was assisting the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) in 2012 for a possible corruption offence involving a vendor whom he allegedly had an affair with — has been charged with giving false information to a public servant and to a CPIB investigator in the State Courts today (July 17).

According to court documents, Koh Yong Chiah, 59, is alleged to have given false information orally to a Cluster Superintendent of the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Nov 24, 2005. During that time, Koh was the principal of Jurong Junior College (JJC). The Cluster Superintendent was tasked to assess the truth of an anonymous complaint lodged against Koh alleging misconduct in having an affair with Loke Wai Lin, a Director of Education Architects 21, a service provider of JJC. Koh is alleged to have falsely stated that he was not having an affair with Loke, despite knowing that it was false, and thereby causing the Cluster Superintendent to submit a report to the Director General of Education that there was no misconduct on his part. If found guilty, Koh can be jailed up to six months or fined up to S$1,000 or both.

Koh is also alleged to have given false information to a Chief Special Investigator of the CPIB — who recorded a statement about his first sexual contact with Loke — from him on Dec 18, 2012. Court documents showed Koh stated that “The place where we had our first sexual contact in 2006 was in my Hyundai Trajet car likely in the vicinity of Tanah Merah ferry terminal”. If convicted, Koh could be fined up to S$10,000 or jailed up to a year or both.

In Dec 2012, the MOE said it had been informed by the CPIB that Koh was assisting in its investigations. At that time, the MOE also said Koh had been replaced as the Principal of River Valley High School and redeployed to the MOE Headquarters as Principal (Special Projects). Koh had been appointed as the Principal of River Valley High in Dec 2009, after about seven years as the principal of JJC.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Lynn Tan told the court that if Koh pleads guilty, they would proceed with the first charge and would take the second charge into consideration. However, Koh denied the offer.

Koh, who is represented by defence lawyer Derek Kang, will return to court on Aug 26.

He is presently out on S$10,000 police bail and has had his passport impounded.