Zaini Ibrahim was sentenced to two years, four months and 10 weeks’ jail after he pleaded guilty to four charges. - Photo: ST file
SINGAPORE: An investigation officer (IO) at a private integrated services firm, which investigated vaping-related offences on behalf of the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), molested two women who were found with vaporisers on them.
Zaini Ibrahim, 55, who is no longer working for WSH Experts, also asked one of the women for sex in exchange for leniency in an investigation against her, but she did not respond to his request.
He later made a recommendation to the HSA for the woman to be given a notice of composition.
The Singapore Legal Advice website states that if a notice comes with an offer of composition, a person can settle an offence by paying the necessary amount, without having to turn up in court.
On Friday (July 26), Zaini was sentenced to two years, four months and 10 weeks’ jail after he pleaded guilty to four charges including two counts of molestation.
Deputy Public Prosecutor David Menon said that HSA’s Tobacco Regulation Branch had contracted WSH to carry out enforcement operations linked to vaping.
WSH then employed IOs and enforcement officers (EOs) to carry out such operations. The court heard that an IO’s duties include reviewing evidence and interviewing subjects linked to vaping-related offences.
DPP Menon said that an IO may make recommendations for an offender to be given a written or verbal warning, a notice of composition, or prosecution.
According to court documents, EOs detained one of the women, 41, at an undisclosed location on Jan 6, 2022, after items including a vaporiser were found on her.
On March 29 that year, she went to WSH’s office in Mayo Street near Jalan Besar for an interview with Zaini.
During the session, he asked her to sit closer to him, and she complied.
DPP Menon said: “As he continued to ask questions, the accused started touching the victim’s thigh. (She) protested, but the accused ignored her protests and told her to concentrate on his questions.”
He later touched her groin, and she pushed his hand away.
Zaini later admitted to investigators that he was emboldened to touch the woman’s groin because he was the IO assigned to her case, and knew that she believed he could make a lenient recommendation in relation to her case.
Separately, another woman, 44, was at the Woodlands Checkpoint when officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority stopped her on July 3, 2022.
Two vaporisers were found in her possession and the matter was referred to the HSA.
Her case was then assigned to Zaini who called her to schedule an interview to record her statement.
He also went on WhatsApp to send the woman messages which took on a sexual nature soon after.
On July 6, 2022, she went to WSH’s office for an interview.
The interview and statement recording lasted around two hours.
During this time, Zaini and the woman were alone in a conference room.
The prosecutor added that during the interview, Zaini repeatedly made lewd and inappropriate sexual comments.
While she was leaving, Zaini groped her chest.
In a bid to move the conversation back to her case, she asked him how it would progress and voiced concerns about facing a high fine or a custodial term.
Zaini replied that he would recommend a notice of composition if she “helped” him in exchange.
“(She) asked the accused what he meant by ‘help’. The accused said that he wanted to have sex with (her but she) did not respond to this request,” said DPP Menon.
Court documents did not disclose how Zaini’s offences came to light, but he was charged in court in December 2023.
His bail was set at S$10,000 on July 26, and is expected to begin serving his sentence on Aug 23. - The Straits Times/ANN
