MFA’s protocol chief charged with cheating Govt of S$90,000

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http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/mfas-protocol-chief-charged-cheating-govt-s90000

As the Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), he was in charge of getting diplomatic protocol right.

But yesterday, Lim Cheng Hoe, who is currently suspended from duty, was charged in court for allegedly cheating the Government of nearly S$89,000, by overstating expense claims for boxes of pineapple tarts and bottles of wine, which are bought as gifts for official trips and visits.

Lim, 60, was charged with 60 counts of cheating — 56 counts of cheating the ministry and four of cheating a government agency called Vital.Org.

Between February 2008 and May 2012, he made claims for more than 10,000 boxes of pineapple tarts when only 2,200 boxes were used. He also made claims for 248 bottles of wine, but used only 89.

He is said to have made claims for items he did not buy, or items that were bought but not used.

For example, for an official trip in May last year, he allegedly made claims for 10 bottles of wine valued at S$2,000, when he used only six bottles valued at S$1,200, and cheated the ministry of the difference.

A pre-trial conference will be held on Oct 25.

Lim, who was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 2009, has spent nearly 40 years at the MFA, with 10 of those years as Chief of Protocol.

His case is the latest in a string of high-profile court cases involving public servants.