A 57-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman will be charged in court on Thursday, October 30, for allegedly carrying out private investigation work without approval, including conducting surveillance on a police officer.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Thursday that the case involved unauthorized surveillance of a police officer who was investigating a case linked to the client's family member. The two accused were partners of a licensed Private Investigation Agency (PIA) that had accepted an assignment from a male client to monitor the officer.
Police investigations revealed that the surveillance was conducted at both the officer's residence and workplace. The officer was stationed at the Police Cantonment Complex — a Protected Place under the Infrastructure Protection Act 2017 — where prior approval from the Police Regulatory Department is required before such operations can be carried out under the Private Security Industry Act 2007.
However, the pair allegedly accepted and carried out the assignment without the necessary authorization. According to the police, this is the first known case of a PIA being hired to conduct surveillance on a police officer involved in an ongoing investigation.
The surveillance came to light after the officer noticed he was being followed and lodged a police report on January 10, 2022. Officers from the Clementi Police Division later identified the suspects using images from police cameras and other closed-circuit television footage.
Investigations also found that the 32-year-old woman had deleted WhatsApp messages between herself and the client after consulting the 57-year-old man, in what police said was an attempt to conceal evidence.
Both suspects will be charged with carrying out a security assignment without prior approval under Section 11(4) read with Section 32(3)(a) of the Private Security Industry Act 2007. The offence carries a fine of up to S$50,000, imprisonment for up to two years, or both.
The woman will also face a charge under Section 204A of the Penal Code 1871 for allegedly obstructing the course of justice by deleting evidence, while the man will be charged with abetting her actions. Each offence carries a penalty of up to seven years in jail, a fine, or both.
Police investigations against the male client who commissioned the surveillance are still ongoing.
