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Ex-aviation security officer fined $4,000 for taking unattended bag

(PHOTO: Getty Images)
(PHOTO: Getty Images)

As an aviation security officer at Changi Airport, Koh Seok Ngoh’s duties included reporting any suspicious unattended bags.

However, when the 47-year-old spotted an unattended black document bag on the Skytrain on 27 December 2015, she took it to a toilet cubicle and inspected its contents before leaving the bag behind.

Koh, who was employed by Certis Cisco at the time, pleaded guilty to one charge of dishonestly misappropriating the bag and was fined $4,000 by District Judge Adam Nakhoda on Wednesday (24 May).

Reading from the statement of facts, Deputy Public Prosecutor Parvathi Menon said that the bag belonged to Ajay Bhaskar, an Indian national who had earlier arrived at Terminal 3 with his family. He had left the bag aboard the Skytrain at about 9.13pm while travelling to Terminal 1.

The bag that contained US$2,800 (S$3,900), four Indian passports, travel insurance documents, four Singapore visas and four boarding passes.

Checked the contents of the bag in a cubicle

Koh, who had just finished her shift, boarded the same Skytrain at about 9.30pm, which is when she spotted the bag. Curious about its contents, she placed it in her handbag.

Upon reaching Terminal 3, she entered a public toilet and opened the bag in one of the cubicles. Seeing only documents and envelopes, Koh left the bag in the cubicle thinking there were no valuables inside.

The bag was subsequently found by a cleaner and returned to its owner at about 5.57am on 28 December 2015.

Money still missing

When Bashkar checked his bag, he realised that all the items were still there save for the US$2,800 in cash. The money has yet to be recovered and the court heard that there has been no evidence found that indicates its whereabouts.

Pressing for a fine of $3,000, DPP Menon said that while Koh was not on duty when she committed the offence, she was still a security officer and should have known what do with an unattended bag.

In mitigation, Koh – who was unrepresented – asked for the lightest possible sentence, adding that it was her first offence and promised not to commit another offence.

However, judge Nakhoda took into account that the victim lost almost $4,000 in the incident and imposed a fine of $4,000 on Koh.

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