Prison Officer Nabbed. Okay, here’s the scoop: a senior prison warden got busted for asking for a whopping S$133,000 in bribes. Why? He wanted to get an inmate moved out of his high-security spot in the prison.
Caught Red-Handed
This dude, Kobi Krishna Ayavoo, 56 years old, got slapped with multiple charges. Most of them were about him squeezing cash out of an inmate named Chong Keng Chye. Surprise, surprise! He got nailed for all of them.
Prosecutors said Kobi tried to get Chong to fork out the dough between September 2015 and March 2016. The reasons? Oh, they’re a doozy: car loans, home makeovers, throwing a birthday bash, and even covering credit card bills.
A Prisoner’s Tale
Chong, serving a 20-year stint since 2005 for a heinous crime against his girlfriend’s son, was in Changi Prison’s A1 cluster. That’s the high-security joint for folks with long sentences.
He spilled the beans, saying Kobi promised to work his magic and move him out of A1 in exchange for money. Thing is, Kobi couldn’t swing that transfer. So, he claimed he had a buddy who could pull some strings – an intel officer.
Kobi got his buddy to meet Chong, but the transfer didn’t happen even after a medical check-up in early 2016. When Kobi pushed Chong to get cash from family or friends, Chong turned him down and griped about not getting moved.
The Legal Dance
Kobi’s side of the story? He swore up and down that he never asked Chong for cash. He said they only talked during yard time, with other inmates around, mind you.
He accused Chong of spinning a yarn to ditch the high-security zone. But when an accusation gets thrown at a prison officer, one of them’s gotta move – either the officer or the inmate.
Proof on Paper
Chong, though, had a trick up his sleeve. He scribbled down details on a mag in his cell every time Kobi asked for money. And when he got a fresh mag, he copied it all over before tossing the old one.
Before heading to Changi Medical Centre in June 2016, Chong penned down details on paper from a novel in his cell. Smart move, right?
Behind Bars Gossip
Another inmate backed Chong’s story. He said he hung out with Chong and noticed Kobi drop by Chong’s cell regularly for about 10 minutes each time.
Kobi’s gig with the Singapore Prison Service took a nosedive once he got hit with charges. His access to inmate info got yanked, and a colleague of his also got in hot water and was fined.
Money Troubles? Or Money Woes?
The prosecutor came in hot, saying Kobi put on an act in court, pretending he wasn’t tight on cash.
But, bank statements told a different tale. They showed Kobi scraping by, using up his paycheck before the next one hit the bank. His car loan repayments? Always late. And he got slapped with overdue fees too. Ouch.
The Plot Thickens
The prosecutor threw shade, saying Kobi thought Chong was loaded because that’s the vibe Chong gave off in prison. Turns out, Kobi’s gamble didn’t pay off well.
Chong got labeled a snitch after squealing on Kobi. So much so, his buddies in the slammer distanced themselves from him.
The Verdict? Guilty as Charged
Kobi’s been on a reduced paycheck – half his usual pay – since his suspension. But hey, he retired in December 2022. The thing is, he kept delaying court stuff instead of trying to clear his name pronto.
Instead of facing trial, Kobi picked surgery, checked into the hospital for a fracture, got a COVID-19 test, reported sick, and went back to the hospital a couple more times. Talk about dodging the courtroom drama!
