Parti Liyani case: Police investigation officer, supervisor found to have 'neglected their duties

[The_King]

SINGAPORE: Internal investigations found that both the police investigation officer and supervisor involved in Ms Parti Liyani’s case had "neglected their duties", Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said in Parliament on Monday (Feb 14).

He was responding to a question from Member of Parliament Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (PAP-Chua Chu Kang) for an update on the internal investigations conducted against the police officers involved in the case of Parti Liyani.

 

Ms Parti was convicted in March 2019 of stealing more than S$30,000 worth of items from ex-Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong and his family, but the conviction was overturned by the High Court on Sep 4, 2020.

"Neglect of duty means the failure to take proper action to perform a required task," said Mr Shanmugam.

The investigation officer who handled the police report handled it as a routine theft case, as it was, but there were some lapses, said the minister.

The investigation officer did not visit the scene of the crime "promptly" to carry out the investigation and gather evidence.

“This contributed to a break in the chain of custody for some exhibits,” he said.

 

He added that the investigation officer did not “properly verify” some of the claims made by parties during the investigation.

His supervisor did not provide "sufficient guidance", which contributed to the lapses, Mr Shanmugam said.

The penalty for neglect of duty depends on the officers’ degree of culpability, and the harm caused by their actions, the minister said, adding that penalties can range from a reprimand or financial penalty, to demotion and dismissal from service.

A financial penalty in the "medium range" was imposed on both officers for neglect of duty. A number of months of increment were also forgone, Mr Shanmugam said, adding that the number of months differs for the two officers.

The Public Service Commission, the authority for disciplinary control of civil servants, has concurred with the penalty imposed on both officers, he said.

The police's Internal Affairs Office also took into account the "intense pressure" that the investigation officer was working under, the minister said.

He was handling many ongoing investigations, prosecutions, and conducting arrest operations at the same time, he added.

"I have spoken before about the workload challenges that police investigation officers face. The only way to deal with this is to increase police headcount. We have not solved that issue yet. This is a difficult problem, not easily solvable, because of the general manpower shortage," he said.

Up until the incident, the officer and supervisor have discharged their duties "dutifully", Mr Shanmugam said.

"I have sympathy for the situation that they find themselves in. They have however fallen short of expectations. And they have been dealt with, in the way other officers would have been dealt with, in similar circumstances," he added.

The maximum financial penalty imposed under the Public Service Commission (Delegation of Disciplinary Functions) Directions is a fine equivalent to the stoppage of increment for two years, he said.

Source: CNA/ja(mi)

[Huat Zai]

i.e. someone not happy about the outcome and wants to re-open the case, leans on some friends to make it happen, the friends throw a few prawns under the bus

[The_King]

36 minutes ago, Huat Zai said:

i.e. someone not happy about the outcome and wants to re-open the case, leans on some friends to make it happen, the friends throw a few prawns under the bus

Pointless the maid not getting money for it.

 

Suffer job lose, etc...

[Huat Zai]

4 minutes ago, The_King said:

Pointless the maid not getting money for it.

 

Suffer job lose, etc...

 

[Satki]

wah bagi chance

 

2 years increment at 100 bucks per year is 2400 for 2 years

 

3rd year promoted to next level and recover all back

 

should have just fired them. like that everyone think they can use no manpower excuse so can cin cai do

 

 

[Bigbird]

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What about this case then??  Why double standards?

 

So much resources are spend and civilian time wasted due to checks!