SINGAPORE: A former employee at one of Singtel’s exclusive retailers illegally accessed the telco’s customer data system and used it to acquire about S$20,000 (US$15,000) worth of phones for himself.
Lim Meng Kit, a 34-year-old Malaysian, was sentenced to six months and two weeks’ jail on Friday (Feb 2).
He pleaded guilty to three charges of cheating and unauthorised computer access, with another eight charges taken into consideration.
The court heard that Lim worked for Rigel Telecommunications, a company that facilitates the sale of Singtel telephone line plans as an exclusive retailer for Singtel.
Lim was the outlet manager of a Rigel shop at Bedok Mall.
Between October 2022 and November 2022, Lim used Singtel’s digital customer management system using his provided login ID and password to look up the particulars of four customers.
He used the customers’ details to sign up for 10 telephone line contracts, each with a bundled handphone, without their consent.
He also allocated handphones from Singtel’s stock at the Rigel shop to those contracts, causing Singtel to deliver the handphones to Lim.
Lim also forged a customer’s signature on a telephone line contract.
He obtained 10 handphones worth about S$19,808 and sold them, spending the proceeds on personal expenses.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ryan Lim asked for six-and-a-half to seven months’ jail, saying the offender had breached the trust reposed in him by his employer and customers.
The system he illegally accessed contained “sensitive personal data”, said the prosecutor.
TRYING TO BE A GOOD SON: DEFENCE
Lim was defended by Mr Rohit Kumar Singh from Regal Law. Mr Singh said his client indicated from the very start he would plead guilty.
Lim, who attended the hearing via video-link from remand, wiped tears from his eyes and began sobbing as his lawyer spoke.
Mr Singh said Lim committed the crimes because “he tried to be a good son and good brother”.
As the older son in a traditional family, he felt the “burden of trying to provide for everyone in the family”, said the lawyer.
Mr Singh added that Lim has a sister whom he helped “all the way to her master’s degree”. The sister wrote a letter to the judge.
Mr Singh added that Lim also has an elderly father who has a back problem and is unable to work. His mother is a contract worker who cannot get jobs consistently.
“Given these factors, he made a grave error of making a bad judgment call of doing this. All in hopes of trying to support his family. He is regretful of what he has done,” said Mr Singh.
He said he hoped the sentence, including remission and backdating, would allow Lim to spend Chinese New Year with his family.
The judge in sentencing highlighted the severity of how there were multiple victims involved.
However, she said she took into account the defence’s points in mitigation.