Winson Chua Xianwen, a 39-year-old Singaporean, was sentenced to 10 months’ jail on January 25 after pleading guilty to two counts of forgery for the purpose of cheating, according to The Straits Times.
Chua had sent a forged letter of appointment to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in his passport application in September 2022.
The Forged Letter of Appointment
In an attempt to secure a passport, Chua forged a letter purportedly from the managing director of a construction firm. The forged document, dated August 1, 2022, claimed that Chua had been offered a position as a project manager at the company. It included details about his job scope, involving liaison with Malaysia-based clients and suppliers. The forged letter bore the digital signature of the managing director and the company’s letterhead.
Chua intentionally used the forged letter to induce MHA and ICA to approve his passport application. However, the authorities discovered the deceit when they contacted the purported managing director and found that he held no such position in the firm. The managing director was unaware of the letter’s existence, raising suspicions about its authenticity.
Deferment of In-Camp Training (ICT) Period
Chua’s fraudulent activities did not stop at the passport application. He also submitted documents, including another forged letter dated December 28, 2022, to MHA’s NS portal. This time, he sought a deferment of his in-camp training (ICT) period, which was scheduled between March 27 and April 9, 2023. The forged deferment letter, similar to the previous one, featured the construction firm’s letterhead and the digital signature of the fictitious managing director.
Chua successfully secured the deferment of his ICT period based on the forged documents, which claimed he was appointed at the company and required to oversee projects.
Legal Consequences
Chua faced sentencing on January 25, and the court imposed a 10-month jail term for his offences. While the defence argued for a shorter jail term, the prosecution emphasized the premeditated nature of Chua’s actions. The authorities clarified that Chua’s forged documents had caused no direct financial losses but highlighted the seriousness of submitting false information for official purposes.