Panel to look into fraud
* Since the matter came to light in June, the Ministry of Law set up an independent review panel to look into how the irregularities could have taken place.* The Panel was also asked to recommend improvements to SLA?s systems and processes, some of which have already been implemented.
* Disciplinary investigations have also been ordered into the actions of two other officers, whose oversight might have allowed the fraud to go undetected.
The two are believed to have faked invoices through various business entities to cheat the SLA of about $11.8 million. -- ST FILE PHOTO
TWO Singapore Land Authority (SLA) officers are suspected of conspiring to cheat SLA of some $11.8 million over a two-year period.
Koh Seah Wee, deputy director of SLA's Technology and Infrastructure Department (TID) and Christopher Lim Chai Meng, a manager in the same department, are believed to have created false invoices through various business entities for fictitious IT maintenance goods and services that were not delivered.
The transactions, which took place between January 2008 and March this year, came to light after the SLA detected a number of irregular payments in the department where Koh and Lim worked.
On detection, SLA made a police report. Koh has since been charged with 249 counts of cheating and other offencers, while Lim, as well as the individuals running the businesses which are believed to have provided the false invoices, are assisting the police in investigations.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, the SLA and the Ministry of Law said SLA had in place finance and procurement processes which were in accordance with Government guidelines.
'The two officers are suspected of conspiring with each other and with the said business entities, thus enabling them to circumvent the checks and balances in the processes,' the spokesman said.
The spokesman added that so far, cash and assets worth about $10 million had been located and secured.
