SINGAPORE – A director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) who was charged over the alleged misuse of diplomatic bags is expected to plead guilty on April 26.

In November 2023, Gilbert Oh Hin Kwan, 45, was handed charges alleging that he deceived or abetted the deception of MFA. He is also accused of giving false information to a public servant.

Oh, who faces three charges in all for offences, including cheating, is said to have dishonestly concealed from MFA in December 2022 that a package containing boxes of Panadol sent from Singapore to Beijing via the diplomatic bag service was for a personal acquaintance rather than for his colleague, Mr Dion Loke Cheng Wang.

Oh is also accused of abetting Mr Loke in cheating MFA on Jan 12, 2023, by instigating Mr Loke to dispatch a package containing luxury watches from China to Singapore via the diplomatic bag service, when the package belonged to and was intended for someone else, instead of Mr Loke.

A diplomatic bag is used for sending official correspondence and items to and from the ministry and its overseas offices, such as embassies or consulates.

It is sealed and protected by diplomatic immunity and cannot be opened, searched or seized by Customs officials.

On Jan 19, 2023, Oh also allegedly lied to then MFA deputy secretary Ong Eng Chuan that the luxury watches in the package carried by Mr Loke into Singapore on Jan 17 that year belonged to Oh’s father.

In an earlier statement, MFA said that Oh has been on no-pay leave while investigations are ongoing. It did not specify when investigations began.

A ministry spokesperson added: “MFA expects all its staff to uphold the highest standards of conduct. As the matter is currently before the courts, MFA is unable to comment further.”

Mr Loke is listed as a first secretary (political) of MFA’s Beijing embassy.

Offenders convicted of cheating can be jailed for up to three years and fined.

Those convicted of giving false information to a public servant can be jailed for up to two years and fined.