Senior investigation officer who molested two women at police station sacked

SINGAPORE — A senior staff sergeant with the Singapore Police Force, who molested two women held in custody at a police station, has been demoted and dismissed from service.

In a notice posted on the Government Gazette on Friday (Jan 3), Lee Sze Chiat, who was formerly a senior investigation officer at the Jurong Police Division Headquarters, had his rank reduced to a police constable.

The 39-year-old was also dismissed from service on Dec 21 last year.

TODAY previously reported on Nov 19 that Lee had been sentenced to one year behind bars and one stroke of the cane, after pleading guilty to one charge of molestation and to engaging in conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline under the Police Force Act.  

THE CASE

On Dec 6 in 2017, two female Chinese nationals in their 20s were arrested and taken to the Jurong Police Division Headquarters. The women, who were not named to protect their identities, were taken in on suspicion of providing paid sexual services. 

Lee was not rostered or formally assigned to perform any investigative duties in relation to the women that day. He had finished a training session that evening with the division’s basketball team when he learnt of the arrests.

The investigative team assigned to the case accepted Lee’s offer of help and forwarded the arrest report to him.

During his interview with the younger of the two women, Lee locked the door in the interview room and asked her to massage him.

He then caressed her chest before he asked her to “service” him.

When Lee was done with the interview, he offered to help interview the older woman. She was asked to masturbate him. 

She did as she was told and also performed a sex act on him.

Five days later, on Dec 11, the first victim called the Police Cantonment Complex about an extension of her Special Pass, which is issued to a foreigner who is assisting in an investigation or attending court.

She then met another policeman and told him what had happened, and he advised her to formally report the matter.

The police told TODAY previously that their officers are not only expected to uphold the law but to maintain the highest standards of conduct and integrity. 

“We deal severely with officers who break the law, including charging them in court,” they said. 

The police also stressed that they take the safety of arrested persons in police custody “very seriously”.  

Adding that Lee had committed the offences by contravening police procedures, they emphasised again that they take a “zero tolerance approach to officers who break the law, and will not hesitate to take action against them in accordance with the law”.