Ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim found guilty of corruption

By Tham Yuen-c & Lim Yanliang
The Straits Times
May 31, 2013

Former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) chief Peter Lim Sin Pang is guilty of corruption.

The 52-year-old was on Friday, handed a guilty verdict by District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim, who ruled that Lim had been the one who initiated the sexual encounter with Ms Angie Pang Chor Mui, whom he was not in an intimate relationship with.

And since he was a high-ranking civil servant with years of experience in the public service, he should have know that he would contravene government procurement rules by calling her about the radiation portal monitors, said Judge Hamidah. "If he did not know that, then he has certainly made a wrong career choice in the last 25 years," she added.

Lim is accused of obtaining oral sex from Ms Pang, in exchange for furthering the business interests of her then employer Nimrod Engineering,

The judge said that Ms Pang must have considered that if she did not perform oral sex on Lim, their friendship might be jeopardised, or it may affect Nimrod's business with the SCDF, and hence Lim had made her "an offer she could not refuse".

She also found Lim's credibility wanting as there were multiple inconsistencies between his statements to anti-graft officers and his evidence in court, making his claims during the trial "seriously questionable".

Lim is expected to be sentenced at a later date. But under the Prevention of Corruption Act, he faces a maximum of five years in jail, a fine of up to $100,000, or both.

UPDATE

In response to the oral judgement today for the case of Mr Peter Lim Sim Pang, a MHA spokesperson said:

"The Ministry of Home Affairs expects its officers, regardless of position or seniority, to uphold the highest standards of duty and integrity at all times.

The Ministry had commenced civil service disciplinary proceedings against Mr Peter Lim Sin Pang in late January last year on charges of serious personal misconduct. Mr Lim had also been interdicted from duties pending the outcome of these proceedings. The disciplinary proceedings were subsequently held in abeyance following the corruption charges that were brought against him.

Disciplinary proceedings will continue to be held in abeyance until a final outcome in the criminal proceedings."

» No indication if Lim will appeal against judgment

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