SAF civilian employee jailed 33 months for desertion

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http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120923-373237.html

A civilian who left her Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) job and disappeared for 13 years has been sentenced to 33 months' jail time for desertion.

V. Mariammal, 48, was then a logistics supply technician employed on a six-year contract with SAF under a scheme currently known as the Defence Executive Scheme (DXO), The Straits Times reported.

She was supposed to be under SAF employment until 2001, but left the job and headed to India in 1998 after experiencing stress over personal financial problems.

She subsequently obtained an Indian passport and visited Singapore three times between 2004 and 2007.

She attempted to enter Singapore again in 2011, but was picked up by the authorities and jailed eight months for immigration offences.

The mother of three was then charged with desertion by SAF.

She is currently appealing the sentence as this is believed to be the first in recent times involving a civilian who deserted the army.

Uniformed or non-uniformed, all SAF staff are subject to military law.

Desertion carries with it a maximum jail term of 10 years and a minimum jail term of 36 months.