Former MFA official pleads guilty to overstating pineapple tart claims

[SINGAPORE] Lim Cheng Hoe, the former public servant accused of inflating his pineapple tart claims, yesterday pleaded guilty to all the charges against him - even as he explained that he did so only to make up for the other diplomatic expenses that he had incurred out of his own pocket.

The 61-year-old former chief of protocol with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) admitted to 10 charges of cheating, amounting to $35,160 worth of inflated claims. The remaining 50 charges against him will be taken into consideration for his sentencing.

The prosecution yesterday asked for Lim to be jailed for 18 months for his offences - six months for each charge, and for at least three of the charges to run consecutively.

Lim, who is suffering from a number of ailments including kidney disease and diabetes, turned up in court yesterday seemingly all ready to serve his jail time. He brought with him, among various things, a bag containing his supply of medication - and had even changed his metal spectacle frames to plastic ones, as no metal is allowed in prisons here.

However, District Judge Eddy Tham will sentence Lim on Thursday.

Lim had served as the highest-ranking protocol officer at MFA before he was charged last October. The long-serving civil servant was then in charge of the MFA directorate responsible for organising ministerial and presidential visits, and oversaw policies on diplomatic privileges and immunities.

He was accused of cheating the ministry of almost $90,000, between February 2008 and May 2012, by inflating the claims he made on thousands of boxes of pineapple tarts and hundreds of bottles of wine supposedly bought for official ministerial trips. For example, he would claim for 200 boxes of pineapple tarts when only 50 were used.

In making their case for Lim's sentence yesterday, deputy public prosecutors Kelvin Kow and Gregory Gan argued that Lim's actions were "an egregious abuse of his position and a gross betrayal of the trust placed in him". As the sums involved were taxpayers' money, the offences also "constitute an assault on public weal", they added.

They said his case has also "generated much public disquiet and brought disrepute to the public service", which has caused "an intangible harm" to the public service. They added that his actions were premeditated and deliberate, carried out over multiple occasions and a "prolonged time period of four years".

In mitigation, Lim's lawyer - Philip Fong, managing partner of Harry Elias Partnership - argued that there were extenuating circumstances surrounding his client's actions. He said Lim inflated the claims only to make up for the expenses he incurred in buying gifts for foreign diplomats whenever they hosted events in Singapore.

Mr Fong said Lim told him that it is not MFA's official policy to give gifts at such local functions; therefore, any MFA officials who gave gifts to these Singapore-based foreign diplomats would not be reimbursed for what they spent.

So, in his attempt to overcome what he felt was "bureaucratic red tape", Lim overstated his claims to make up for these expenses.

"His conduct was misguided but well-intentioned as it was for the purpose of using the excess claimed to purchase the gifts for foreign diplomats based in Singapore and overseas," Mr Fong argued.

"He did not obtain any benefit for himself. He did not pocket any money. He only did so as and when he felt he needed petty cash to purchase gifts for upcoming functions with foreign officials," Mr Fong added.

He also said his client had made significant contributions to the public service and had had a distinguished and illustrious career. He also said Lim was truly remorseful for his misconduct, had made full restitution, and admitted to his acts very early in the investigations into his case.

In arguing for a lower sentence, Mr Fong pointed to his client's ill health and advanced age, and the fact that he would likely "face financial hardship in the years to come without the support of any pension".