SINGAPORE – Within around 3½ months, a Certis security officer deployed to Jurong Port facilitated 26 cigarette smuggling operations and received $1,572 in bribes.
On April 14, Muhammad Haaziq Karudin, 34, who is no longer working for the security company, pleaded guilty to one count each of graft and sharing confidential information about his work schedule with another person, an offence under the Official Secrets Act.
Haaziq was the fifth person linked to the case to be convicted in court. He will be sentenced on April 22.
Three other former Certis officers – Muhammad Khairul Amir Suhaimi, then 25; Sri Daniah Abdul Razak, then 26, and Mohamad Aziffi Selamat, then 32, were dealt with in court earlier.
In February, Muhammad Sukaimi Gasali, then 34, a crane operator at the time of the offences, was sentenced to four years and seven months’ jail, and a fine of $5,000.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamed Riasudeen told the court that the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) had earlier contracted Certis to supply security officers to Jurong Port and Tuas Checkpoint.
The officers’ tasks included taking enforcement action against people attempting to smuggle contraband items into Singapore.
They also had to conduct thorough checks on individuals and vehicles passing through the port and checkpoint.
Haaziq, who was working at Jurong Port, was conducting routine checks in late 2020 when he got to know Sukaimi, and the pair became friends.
