The Police have arrested a couple, a 37-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man, for the offence of wrongful communication of information under Section 5(1) of the Official Secrets Act, Cap 213.
On 3 April 2020 at about 5.45pm, the Police received a report that a draft joint media statement by the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Ministry of Education to announce details of the implementation of full home-based learning by schools and Institutes of Higher Learning, as well as the closure of pre-schools and student care centres, had been leaked to the public before it was officially released.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the woman, a public servant and an authorised recipient of the media statement, had allegedly taken a screenshot of the media statement on her computer screen and shared the image with her husband via WhatsApp on 3 April 2020 at about 9am. Her husband, who is not an authorised recipient of the media statement, subsequently shared the image with his friends. The image became publicly available before the media statement was officially released to the media on 3 April 2020 at 4.30pm.
Police investigations are ongoing.
The Government takes a serious view of any wrongful communication of confidential information, and will deal firmly anyone who does so. The offence of wrongful communication of information under Section 5(1) of the Official Secrets Act is punishable under Section 17(2) of the Official Secrets Act, which carries a fine of up to $2,000 and imprisonment for a term of up to two years. Unauthorised recipients should also not further circulate the confidential information received, as they may be similarly liable under the Official Secrets Act.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
05 April 2020 @ 9:45 PM