SINGAPORE – A Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) sergeant, Muhammad Heykal Rahman, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for providing false testimony during the trial of his colleague, Vengedesh Raj Nainar Nagarajan, who was accused of assaulting a drug offender in 2021.

Heykal, with nearly a decade of experience at the bureau, was found guilty of lying under oath to District Judge Salina Ishak. During the original trial, he testified that he did not witness his colleague Vengedesh assaulting Sivabalan Kanniappan. However, evidence presented in court revealed that Heykal had indeed been present during the altercation and had witnessed Sivabalan pleading for help, to which Heykal callously responded, “I cannot do anything. If he (beats) you, then he (beats) you.”

On December 23, 2023, Heykal was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of perjury. Prosecutors also noted a separate charge against him for providing false information to a police officer during an investigation into the incident in 2018, which played a role in his sentencing.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Joseph Gwee emphasized the gravity of Heykal’s actions, stating, “His deceit jeopardized the integrity of the judicial process and could have led to a wrongful acquittal for Raj.”

Vengedesh, 35, was eventually convicted in April 2022 and sentenced to five years in prison for assaulting Sivabalan to extract a confession regarding drug possession, for which he also received a $4,000 fine related to a separate harassment charge.

Sivabalan faced a steeper sentence for drug offenses, receiving 15 years in prison along with 13 strokes of the cane after being apprehended at the Woodlands Checkpoint in Singapore in January 2017. A search revealed a suspicious blue bundle containing controlled substances hidden within his motorcycle. He initially denied knowledge of the package, stating he had lent his bike to a friend.

During the subsequent investigation, it was revealed that Vengedesh, under the influence of alcohol, attempted to elicit a confession from Sivabalan through physical assault, with Heykal present all along. Multiple testimonies and CCTV footage confirmed that Heykal was indeed in the vicinity when the assault occurred, contradicting his claims in court that he was occupied elsewhere.

Heykal’s role in the judicial manipulation raises serious ethical concerns within law enforcement operations, highlighting the potential for corruption and abuse of power. Following this scandal, the CNB has stated that they are reviewing internal protocols and have referred the incidents involving Vengedesh to the police for further investigation.

The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by officers who forsake their duty for the sake of their colleagues, putting the entire legal system at risk. As this story unfolds, many are left to wonder about the broader implications for justice and accountability within the ranks of Singapore's law enforcement agencies.