Singapore Post (SingPost) revealed that the postman involved in the case of discarding unopened letter in dustbins was arrested.
Revealing this news on its Facebook page on Tuesday (29 January), the postal company said that after gathering findings from internal investigations, they have referred the case to the police.
This issue became viral when Facebook user Alyce Kathlyn uploaded eight photos on Monday night (28 January), showing unopened letters from the government agencies like the Land Transport Authority, the National University of Singapore and the Ministry of Health’s Community Health Assist Scheme, all discarded in public dustbins.
The letters were addressed to some residents living in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 and 5.
Ms Kathlyn claimed that the postman had discarded the letters and parcels in the bin.
“As Police investigations are ongoing, we are unable to comment further, but would like to thank Facebook user Alyce Kathlyn for highlighting this case, and allowing us to look into this,” said SingPost.
SingPost apologised to the affected residents of Ang Mo Kio and noted that it does not tolerate any mishandling or misappropriation of mail.
“Any postman found to have committed such offences will be disciplined, and, where applicable, dealt with by the full extent of the law,”it added.
Under the Postal Service Act, section 34 (1), it’s an offence for any officer employee or agent of a postal licensee who — (a) destroys or throws away any postal article or anything contained therein.
Such an offence is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $1,000 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.
This is not the first time SingPost has dismissed an employee for similar behaviour. In 2018, the company sacked a postman after it was revealed that he had thrown mails into the rubbish bin. The company also filed a police report against the postman but he had returned home for leave and likely not return anytime soon.
