A former Singapore police officer has been sentenced to seven months in jail for criminal breach of trust after misappropriating nearly S$2,000 from a lost handbag. Muhammad Amzath Khan Abuayubul Ansari, a Singaporean permanent resident, stole the money while on duty at Rochor Neighbourhood Police Centre, driven by his addiction to online gambling and mounting bank debts.
The case came to light on August 25, 2024, when a 19-year-old woman discovered that S$1,700 was missing from her handbag and filed a police report. She had accidentally left her handbag outside a condominium while waiting for a private-hire car. When she returned for it, it was missing, but security officers at the condominium informed her they had handed it over to the police station where Amzath worked.
Upon retrieving the bag from the station, she realized the cash was gone and immediately lodged a police report.
Investigations revealed that on August 25, Amzath was stationed at the police counter when a 43-year-old security officer arrived with the handbag and a handwritten list detailing its contents, including S$1,755.50 in cash. While the officer was distracted, Amzath took the cash, hid it under the counter, and later pocketed it. At the end of his shift, he left with the stolen money and destroyed the inventory list in an attempt to cover up his crime.
Further inquiries revealed that this was not his first offense—he had misappropriated S$200 from another lost item a month earlier, on July 22, 2024. This previous incident was taken into consideration during his sentencing.
In addition to his jail term, Amzath was fined S$2,000 for using an unlicensed online gambling service. Court records showed that he had engaged in illegal gambling on 200 occasions, placing bets totaling S$17,287.88.
During the trial, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Lim Li Ting sought a jail term of seven to eight months, emphasizing that Amzath had failed in his duty to safeguard public trust. As a police officer, he was expected to uphold the law, prevent crime, and protect public property, but instead, he abused his position for personal gain.
The District Judge Wong Peck agreed, stating that Amzath's actions eroded public confidence in law enforcement. She noted that he had actively tried to conceal his wrongdoing, making the offense even more serious. However, the judge also considered his early guilty plea and the fact that he had no prior convictions.
Amzath resigned from the police force on September 26, 2024, following the internal investigation.
Under Singapore law, criminal breach of trust by a public servant carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail and a fine. Offenders convicted of illegal gambling can face up to six months in jail and fines of up to S$10,000.
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