On April 14, 2025, Chan Zhiyao, a former senior investigation officer (IO) in the Singapore Police Force (SPF), was sentenced to 16 months in jail after pleading guilty to charges of criminal breach of trust and an offence under the Official Secrets Act.
Chan, 44, abused his authority during a molestation case in 2022. A woman had reported her former boyfriend for allegedly molesting her. During investigations, she told Chan that her ex-boyfriend had previously transferred $4,000 to her and was now pressuring her to return it. Chan falsely claimed that it was “police procedure” for her to transfer the money to him, promising he would then pass the funds on to her ex-boyfriend.
However, instead of fulfilling his promise, Chan kept the money for himself and spent nearly all of it within just two days. His misconduct was eventually discovered when the former boyfriend filed a complaint stating that he had not received the money. When confronted, Chan tried to cover up his offence by persuading the woman to lie on record, asking her to tell another officer that she had never transferred any money to him.
Believing in his position and trusting his authority, the woman initially complied and lied in her police statement. However, after speaking to her family, she decided to come clean, which led to Chan’s confession. He admitted to receiving the money and claimed he had intended to return it but was overwhelmed with work.
Separately, Chan was also convicted of misusing an SPF computer system in 2020. He accessed the database to obtain a police report number linked to an individual, whose identity was not disclosed in court, and then unlawfully shared that information with another person. Chan had no authority to perform this search or to disclose the information.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Cheah Wenjie emphasized the seriousness of Chan’s actions and sought a jail sentence of 17 to 20 months. DPP Cheah argued that Chan had been a senior police officer for nearly 20 years and that such misconduct undermined public trust in law enforcement. “His offences ought to merit a stern deterrent sentence,” DPP Cheah said.
In his defense, lawyer Noelle Teoh asked the court for a more lenient sentence of not more than 10 months, stating that Chan had a previously unblemished record. She claimed there was no elaborate planning involved and described the act as impulsive. “His actions were driven by a moment of rashness and greed, rather than any deliberate intention,” she said.
Following the sentencing, the SPF confirmed that Chan has been interdicted from duty and that internal disciplinary action will be taken. “Officers of the SPF are expected to uphold the law and maintain the highest standards of conduct and integrity. We deal sternly with officers who break the law, including charging them in court,” said a police spokesperson on April 15.
Chan’s fall from grace underscores the importance of integrity within law enforcement. Once a trusted officer tasked with upholding justice, he now faces jail time for exploiting a victim who had turned to the police for help.
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