A woman who offered a $10,000 bribe to stop a police officer from investigating her involvement in possible offences under the Women’s Charter was sentenced to four weeks’ jail on Monday (Oct 3).
Zhu Kuai, 42, unemployed, admitted to offering the bribe to Assistant Superintendent Chan Wai Hoong at Fortune Centre, Middle Road, on April 14, 2016.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Vincent Ong said ASP Chan and two others from the police force’s compliance management unit were sent to Fortune Centre that day following a tip-off about unlicensed massage establishments and condoms in letterboxes.
The officers were walking around Level 4 of the building when they came across LK Beauty Spa, which purported to offer beauty and spa services. They noticed Zhu sitting inside. Once she saw the police officers, she closed the main door of the unit.
Sensing something amiss, the officers approached the unit to interview Zhu, who had previously worked there but was not managing it any more. Two bundles of keys were found in her handbag.
Suspecting that one of the keys was for the unit’s letterbox, ASP Chan suggested that Zhu take the officers to the letterbox for an inspection.
Zhu began to panic and repeatedly pleaded with the officers not to open the letterbox. While walking to Level 1, Zhu continued to plead with ASP Chan not to open the letterbox and asked to settle the matter privately with him. ASP Chan ignored her.
At the letterbox, she admitted that the letterbox contained condoms and that these were used for providing sexual services at the unit. A black bag containing many unused condoms was seized.
A female staff sergeant was recording her statement when Zhu asked to speak to ASP Chan in private, but the latter refused and told her to say what she wanted in the other officer’s presence.
Zhu then told ASP Chan in Mandarin: “I give you ten thousand dollars.” He rejected the offer and warned her not to bribe a public servant. But Zhu said: “Ten thousand dollars you don’t bring me back,” intending to induce the officer to cease investigations as she was afraid that he would arrest her for providing sexual services.
He ignored her offer and asked his colleague to continue recording her statement.
Zhu was escorted to Police Cantonment Complex and arrested for suspected offences under the Women’s Charter and bribery.
She has a conviction under the Massage Establishments Act.
Her lawyer Chung Ting Fai said the mother of two, who was from China but is now a Singapore citizen, deeply regrets her actions which have brought untold agony and trauma to her family. She could have been fined up to $100,000 and/or jailed for up to five years.
Source: The Straits Times
