The offender exploited her workplace access to deceive her friend, highlighting concerns over data misuse.
SINGAPORE – A former individual insolvency administrator, Rozita Mohamed Rosli, has been sentenced to 15 months in jail for cheating her cycling buddy, a bankrupt, of $4,000 and misusing a government computer system to access sensitive information.
Rozita, 42, worked for the Insolvency and Public Trustee’s Office (IPTO) under the Ministry of Law. In May 2022, she illegally accessed the IPTO database to confirm her suspicion that her friend, aged 46, was a declared bankrupt. Armed with this knowledge, Rozita fabricated a story about a required “top-up” fee necessary to discharge her friend from bankruptcy.
Exploiting Trust and Financial Vulnerability
Rozita persuaded the victim to pawn her gold bracelet to raise the sum, which was handed over in July 2022. She falsely claimed that the additional funds were part of an official scheme to manage creditor objections and would be refunded if unused.
The deception unraveled in December 2022 when the victim received official confirmation of her bankruptcy discharge and discovered Rozita’s lies through the Ministry of Law’s hotline. After being confronted, Rozita returned the full amount in January 2023.
Legal and Workplace Repercussions
Following an internal investigation, MinLaw suspended Rozita in March 2024 and initiated disciplinary proceedings post-conviction. The ministry emphasized that Rozita was removed from roles with sensitive data access during the investigation.
Deputy Public Prosecutor June Ngian highlighted the calculated betrayal of trust, noting Rozita’s deliberate misuse of confidential information and her subsequent manipulation of the victim’s financial situation.
Rozita’s actions have raised concerns about safeguards against data misuse and the need for stricter oversight in managing sensitive information within public institutions.
