Former Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) chief Ng Boon Gay on Tuesday became the second senior public servant in a week to be charged with using his position to obtain sexual favors.
The 46-year-old is said to have had several trysts with Cecilia Sue Siew Nang, a sales manager seeking government contracts for two information technology vendors here on separate occasions.
His court appearance came days after former Singapore Civil Defense Force commissioner Peter Lim Sin Pang, 52, was charged with similar offences involving different women in a separate sex-for-contracts case.
The Straits Times understands that Ng's case centers on tender procurement for IT-related products. He is accused of obtaining sexual gratification to “further the business interest” of Hitachi Data Systems and Oracle Corporation Singapore.
Court documents indicated that Sue had allegedly performed oral sex on Ng four times between June and December last year.
During the first two alleged trysts, the 36-year-old Sue was a sales manager at Hitachi. She left around November to join Oracle as a senior sales manager.
If convicted, Ng could be jailed for up to five years or fined up to S$100,000 (US$77,887), or both, on each charge.
On Tuesday, his lawyers from WongPartnership said he intends to plead not guilty.
Senior Counsel Tan Chee Meng and Melanie Ho added in a media statement: “Personal indiscretions aside, Boon Gay firmly believes he is not a corrupt officer.”
In court, Tan asked for the case to be adjourned as he wanted the prosecution to clarify how Ng had allegedly helped the companies' business interests, and what those interests were. After receiving this information, the lawyers will consider whether to make further representations.
A spokesman for Oracle Corporation Singapore declined to comment, but it is believed Sue is still employed there.
A Hitachi Data Systems spokesman said the company was not aware that it was the subject of any investigations.
He added that if Sue had behaved inappropriately during her time with the company, none of its staff was aware of it or condoned it.
Ng had his bail set at S$10,000. He will next appear in court on June 26.
He was arrested on Dec. 19 last year amid allegations of “serious personal misconduct”, and later suspended on Jan. 25.
However, his family has maintained a strong show of support. On Tuesday, his wife, Yap Yen Yen, accompanied him to the Subordinate Courts along with his brother and sister. They arrived in a taxi at 8:50 a.m. (7:50 a.m. Jakarta time) with his lawyers from WongPartnership.
Yap, 44, stayed close to her husband, holding his arm and hand at times.
She later issued a statement through the lawyers, saying: “I have never doubted his professional integrity and will continue to stand by him.”
The Ngs' visible support was in stark contrast to the scene last week when Lim arrived at the court alone before being charged with 10 counts of corruption.
Lim is accused of obtaining sexual favors in exchange for helping three women further their business dealings. The alleged trysts are said to have taken place in public carparks, Lim's Costa Rhu condominium and once in a Paris hotel.
No locations were given for Ng's alleged encounters with Sue. The Ministry of Home Affairs said on Tuesday that she is no longer servicing the bureau's accounts.
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