SINGAPORE: A former Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) investigation officer who misappropriated about S$1,400 (US$1,077) from three men after they were arrested was sentenced to 13 months’ jail on Friday (Nov 14).
To avoid detection for his misdeeds, Muhammad Fayyaz Helmi, 29, also forged forms to state that the victims had their money returned.
Fayyaz earlier pleaded guilty to one count each of committing criminal breach of trust as a public servant, obstructing justice and forgery for the purpose of cheating. Another four similar charges were taken into consideration for his sentencing.
Fayyaz resigned from CNB in May 2024.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to the offences relating to two victims: Thanabal A Vathian, 72, and Hasbullah Mohamed Hizan, 27.
Thanabal was arrested by CNB officers in April 2022 under suspicion of drug offences, and Fayyaz was assigned as one of the investigation officers to his case.
When Thanabal was taken into custody, two mobile phones and S$912.66 in cash were seized from him. He was later admitted into the Drug Rehabilitation Centre, then placed into a halfway house.
In November 2023, Fayyaz pocketed Thanabal’s money for his daily expenses.
On Jan 9, 2024, Fayyaz returned Thanabal’s two mobile phones to him. Thanabal asked about his cash and Fayyaz lied that the money was handled by another CNB officer. He promised to help Thanabal locate the money.
When Fayyaz failed to get back, Thanabal informed the chairman of his halfway house, who reached out to CNB to ask about the cash.
Fayyaz then handed Thanabal S$950 and forged a slip to reflect that Thanabal received S$913.20 – a made-up figure – on Jan 9, 2024. By then, Fayyaz could not remember how much cash was seized from Thanabal.
SECOND VICTIM
In January 2024, Fayyaz was tasked to facilitate the return of Hasbullah’s belongings, which included S$364.20 in cash.
He misappropriated the sum for his daily expenses. To cover his tracks, Fayyaz forged Hasbullah’s details and signature on an acknowledgement form stating that the belongings, including the money, had been returned.
Another CNB officer discovered what Fayyaz had done, and in March 2024, Fayyaz transferred S$400 to Hasbullah in an attempt to conceal his misdeed.
He subsequently told Hasbullah to lie that his belongings had been returned to him on Jan 17, 2024.
A police report was lodged against Fayyaz on Apr 5, 2024, and he was arrested later that day.
In reply to CNA’s earlier queries, a CNB spokesperson said that it had uncovered Fayyaz’s misconduct in 2024 after acting on a complaint. CNB then immediately reported the matter to the police.
It later found that Fayyaz had failed to return money and belongings to their rightful owners on two other occasions, and reported these two cases to the police.
“CNB has a code of conduct, strict orders and proper procedures in place, and officers have to abide by them to uphold CNB’s high standard of professionalism,” the spokesperson said.
“Reporting and disciplinary processes are put in place to ensure proper conduct of officers in the workplace and when carrying out their duties. Any officer who falls short of these standards will be taken to task, and those who break the law will be dealt with, in accordance with the law.”
MITIGATION
Fayyaz’s lawyer, Jonathan Wong of Tembusu Law, sought a year’s jail for his client. Mr Wong said Fayyaz’s offences occurred during a period of “progressive emotional decline” linked to his workload pressures and his transfer to the team handling exhibits, which he had perceived as a career setback.
Fayyaz began gambling habitually as a coping mechanism during this period and later formed a gambling addiction, the lawyer said.
“He accumulated substantial financial debts of approximately S$70,000 to S$80,000, owed across banks and licensed moneylenders. The convergence of stress, debt, shame, and emotional exhaustion clouded his judgment.
“It was in this state of vulnerability and impaired coping, and not from greed or opportunism, that he made the wrongful decision to misappropriate seized cash and later conceal what he had done. He accepts fully that these acts were intentional and constituted a serious breach of trust,” Mr Wong said.
Fayyaz has since stopped gambling, is receiving credit counselling and works as a delivery driver, Mr Wong told the court.
Forgery for the purpose of cheating carries a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine. Criminal breach of trust as a public servant carries a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine.
