Airline worker fined for accepting bribes from Lankan passengers
April 14, 2011 04:47 pm
SINGAPORE: A passenger service assistant with Changi International Airport Services (CIAS), was on Thursday fined S$8,400 for accepting bribes to allow four Sri Lankan passengers to check in excess baggage without cost.
On one occasion, he allowed them to check in luggage weighing 294kg without charging them the excess baggage fee.
36-year-old William Wong also had to pay an additional penalty of S$1,400, which was the amount of bribes he received between May and November 2008.
Wong was working at the Emirates Airline check-in counter at Changi Airport Terminal 1.
His duties included assisting passengers to check in for their flights and ensuring that their baggage did not exceed the airline’s weight limit.
Investigations revealed that Atula, a Sri Lankan national, approached Wong and befriended him in April 2008.
On several occasions, Atula approached Wong at the counter, with four Sri Lankan passengers.
Each passenger carried excess baggage and Wong agreed to check them in without charging them excess baggage fees.
Without Wong’s help, the four Sri Lankan passengers would have had to pay charges of between S$300 and S$11,760.
The S$11,760 fee was for luggage weighing 294kg.
Wong later received S$1,400 from Atula as a reward.
He faced seven charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act and pleaded guilty to four of them, while three others were taken into consideration.
Before handing out the sentence, District Judge Toh Yung Cheong said that while the bribe amount was relatively small, the lost cost to the airline had to be taken into consideration.
Wong could have been jailed up to five years, fined a maximum of S$100,000, or both for each charge, Channel News Asia reported.
On one occasion, he allowed them to check in luggage weighing 294kg without charging them the excess baggage fee.
36-year-old William Wong also had to pay an additional penalty of S$1,400, which was the amount of bribes he received between May and November 2008.
Wong was working at the Emirates Airline check-in counter at Changi Airport Terminal 1.
His duties included assisting passengers to check in for their flights and ensuring that their baggage did not exceed the airline’s weight limit.
Investigations revealed that Atula, a Sri Lankan national, approached Wong and befriended him in April 2008.
On several occasions, Atula approached Wong at the counter, with four Sri Lankan passengers.
Each passenger carried excess baggage and Wong agreed to check them in without charging them excess baggage fees.
Without Wong’s help, the four Sri Lankan passengers would have had to pay charges of between S$300 and S$11,760.
The S$11,760 fee was for luggage weighing 294kg.
Wong later received S$1,400 from Atula as a reward.
He faced seven charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act and pleaded guilty to four of them, while three others were taken into consideration.
Before handing out the sentence, District Judge Toh Yung Cheong said that while the bribe amount was relatively small, the lost cost to the airline had to be taken into consideration.
Wong could have been jailed up to five years, fined a maximum of S$100,000, or both for each charge, Channel News Asia reported.
