SINGAPORE — A former police officer who used his colleagues’ accounts to gain access to a database was today (Feb 24) sentenced to 18 weeks’ jail under the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act.

Lim Ming Kian, 30, was a sergeant with the Compliance Management Unit of the Central Police Division at the time of the 12 offences. He had used the accounts of three of his colleagues between July and November 2011 to do searches for any reports that may have been lodged against him in the police database, known as FOCUS.

Lim had been afraid that his wife’s lover, Nicholas Lee, might have lodged reports against him.

Investigations showed that Lim was married in March 2011 but his wife wanted a divorce in July 2011. A month later, Mr Lee began receiving emails and phone calls that harassed and threatened him.

Mr Lee and his brother share a flat and their unit was splashed with paint and locked up. Mr Lee’s brother made a report about this vandalism.

During this period, Lim’s wife confronted him and the accused said Mr Lee could lodge a police report if he wished to.

Lim’s actions were discovered after details of Mr Lee and his brother were splashed in paint across a school gate. Mr Lee’s brother, a teacher, then suspected a police officer had misused his personal information.

The court however heard that there is no evidence linking Lim to the allegations of harassment. CHANNEL NEWSASIA