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Imprisonment and Execution in Modern Singapore Part III of Barb's Singapore Saga

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Sorry, some needed, but boring, police procedural. Skip and go watch an episode of Golden Girls.

Empat Puluh Lima

The Adjournment Pub, Off Parliament Square, Monday 3:10 PM

“Look, darling,” said Frost, “I’ve got to get something off my chest. Are you serious about following this investigation wherever it may lead?”
“Of course,” replied the younger man.
“OK, OK. Maybe you are. You may know I’m officially retired, a kind of detective emeritus. I can follow any case I want. But I’ve no interest in wasting time going through the motion here if you and the Guards aren’t serious. I’ve been around Singapore long enough to know that politics rules everything. If you know the right person, the investigation suddenly dies. What I need to know now I whether your people have the guts to go against the CNB.”

Musa took a long sip of his IPA and thought for a moment. Immediately, Frost thought better of him. Most young ones, these days, he thought, answer at once and then think about it, and later try to justify their answer. Musa was different.

“Let me tell you about myself. I was an orphan. Singapore has a decent but cheap social services system. I was shuffled from place to place. I never had a home. As that rootless orphan, I fell in love with the pomp and uniforms of the Guards. I wanted to be one since I was eight years old.
I joined the Army Special forces because that’s the best way to get into the Guards. Let me tell you; they don’t exaggerate the rigor of Special Forces training. Several times I wanted to quit, but I stuck it out. I compiled a top record and was offered a position in the Guards. Within a few weeks after joining, I knew I had found my home. It is an organization that holds to the highest standards of honor and duty. I have never known a Guard who wouldn’t, without hesitation, put his life on the line for another Guard or his assignment.
I was quick at learning the job, and my superiors noted that and asked if I would train to be part of the Guards’ investigative force. I jumped at the chance to serve. In all modesty, I had a talent for it. Last year, after six years on the job, I was made Chief Investigator.”
“Detective Inspector Frost, I will not let you down.”

Frost listened carefully to Musa’s story. He always considered himself a good judge of character.
“I believe you, Musa. But you must see my problem. Can I believe your organization?”

Musa smiled and replied, “Let me tell you the history of the Parliamentary Guards. From Independence, Singapore was founded as a strong executive form of government. The President, Prime Minister and Cabinet enjoy substantial power as does the judiciary. The same party has been freely elected to control Parliament ever since Independence. Their primary role is to pass legislation.
Soon after Independence, the leaders of Parliament realized that they could easily be intimidated by the power of the executive, including the police and Armed forces. So they decided they needed their force and founded the Parliamentary Guard. While the pretty uniforms are to please the tourists, the Guards are the elite of Singapore military forces. We received constant training in military tactics and counter-terrorism. We have the most advanced weaponry. It’s never been tested, but every Guard believes they could easily fight off an attack on the Parliament by the Army.”

“Impressive force. But what about politics?”
“There are always politics. To minimize that, the Guard reports only to the Security Committee of the Parliament, nine of the most senior and respected MPs. I have never known them to interfere in our police work.”
“What about the CNB. They seem to be a law unto themselves?”
“The work they do against drugs is highly valued, and much deference must be given to them and their agents. However, I have already requested a warrant to search the offices and files of the two agents involved. We will have that first thing tomorrow.”
“Sounds nice, darling. But can’t that be overruled by the Supreme Court or Judge Betar-Gisber or such?”
“No, the authority of the Parliamentary Court of Justice is absolute and answers only to the Security Committee. It is also where any crimes committed under the Guards jurisdiction will be tried.”

“If you are right, I’ll buy you a dozen IPAs when this is over!”

“I will enjoy them very much.”

Raffles Hospital, Downtown Singapore, Monday, 7:45 PM

DI Jack Frost and Chief Inspector Musa bin Ibrahim walked down the hall from Amanda’s room. The girl had recovered sufficiently to be moved from Emergency to a private room. When the detectives had arrived, she was agitated and arguing with the nurse over the place.
“I can’t be here!” she cried. “I don’t have health insurance from the Embassy, and I’m not covered here as a foreigner. This room will bankrupt me!”
Bin Ibrahim hastened to reassure her. “Don’t worry, Miss. The entire hospital cost, including the room and any other items, is being covered by the Singapore Parliamentary Guard as a partial apology for your being victimized on our grounds. There will be NO cost to you or your Embassy!”
Amanda calmed down a little after that but was still very tightly wound. Frost, who usually insisted on the lead in questioning, allowed his colleague to do so, thinking he had a more gentle style.

Musa spent more than half an hour, drawing out the story. Frost knew he’d made the right choice. The young man was very good at comforting her and soothing her occasional outbursts while getting every detail.
At about seven forty, they thanked her, bid her rest, and left.

“Not much new to go on there.” Said Musa.
“No,” said Frost. “Didn’t expect much. She denies the drugs were hers, or that she flirted sexually with the agents. She continues to obsess about not getting her papers to the court. Nothing indicated the agents were doing this in connection with Barbara Moore’s case (he had filled the Inspector in on the overview of that during dinner), though that doesn’t prove they didn’t.”
“No, it did not.”

Frost liked the skepticism in the young man’s voice. “Did anything she said strike you as strange?” He was interested to see how good this young Chief Inspector was.
“Yes. Two. The denial that she flirted with the men and that the drugs were hers both were a little strange. I put the flirting answer down to the usual post-traumatic stress of a victim of a violent rape."
"Almost certainly true." Frost was impressed by his young colleague.
"The drug answer was a bit more - over-done and, at the same time, hesitant. It could be due to stress and youthful innocence. But it wasn’t right. I figured that’s a matter for another day.”
“My thoughts precisely, darling.” Frost was very impressed. “So, on the surface, it was two horny and evil CNB agents spotting a pretty girl, harassing her, and things kept escalating until they took her into the restroom and violently raped her. The one agent's death seems natural. I’d seen him a week ago, and he was morbidly obese. The autopsy will confirm that, I expect.”
“Conducted by a Guards pathologist; it will be honest.” Added bin Ibrahim.
“Is there anything the “Guards” don’t have in-house?”
“Not that I can think of,” he replied with a smile.

“So tomorrow, the first thing, we try to search their offices and get any relevant files.”
“We will.”
“I'll wait to see if that happens,” said Frost. “Then, we can speak to this CNB agent, Zhihoa Jiang.”
“I am waiting very much for that,” said Musa, rubbing his fist into his hand.
 
twonines said:
Again, another great chapter, filled with relevant detail, to enable us to understand what follows.
Is there at last some hope for poor Barb?
Click to expand...
Praefectus Praetorio said:
Sorry, some needed, but boring, police procedural. Skip and go watch an episode of Golden Girls.

Empat Puluh Lima

The Adjournment Pub, Off Parliament Square, Monday 3:10 PM

“Look, darling,” said Frost, “I’ve got to get something off my chest. Are you serious about following this investigation wherever it may lead?”
“Of course,” replied the younger man.
“OK, OK. Maybe you are. You may know I’m officially retired, a kind of detective emeritus. I can follow any case I want. But I’ve no interest in wasting time going through the motion here if you and the Guards aren’t serious. I’ve been around Singapore long enough to know that politics rules everything. If you know the right person, the investigation suddenly dies. What I need to know now I whether your people have the guts to go against the CNB.”

Musa took a long sip of his IPA and thought for a moment. Immediately, Frost thought better of him. Most young ones, these days, he thought, answer at once and then think about it, and later try to justify their answer. Musa was different.

“Let me tell you about myself. I was an orphan. Singapore has a decent but cheap social services system. I was shuffled from place to place. I never had a home. As that rootless orphan, I fell in love with the pomp and uniforms of the Guards. I wanted to be one since I was eight years old.
I joined the Army Special forces because that’s the best way to get into the Guards. Let me tell you; they don’t exaggerate the rigor of Special Forces training. Several times I wanted to quit, but I stuck it out. I compiled a top record and was offered a position in the Guards. Within a few weeks after joining, I knew I had found my home. It is an organization that holds to the highest standards of honor and duty. I have never known a Guard who wouldn’t, without hesitation, put his life on the line for another Guard or his assignment.
I was quick at learning the job, and my superiors noted that and asked if I would train to be part of the Guards’ investigative force. I jumped at the chance to serve. In all modesty, I had a talent for it. Last year, after six years on the job, I was made Chief Investigator.”
“Detective Inspector Frost, I will not let you down.”

Frost listened carefully to Musa’s story. He always considered himself a good judge of character.
“I believe you, Musa. But you must see my problem. Can I believe your organization?”

Musa smiled and replied, “Let me tell you the history of the Parliamentary Guards. From Independence, Singapore was founded as a strong executive form of government. The President, Prime Minister and Cabinet enjoy substantial power as does the judiciary. The same party has been freely elected to control Parliament ever since Independence. Their primary role is to pass legislation.
Soon after Independence, the leaders of Parliament realized that they could easily be intimidated by the power of the executive, including the police and Armed forces. So they decided they needed their force and founded the Parliamentary Guard. While the pretty uniforms are to please the tourists, the Guards are the elite of Singapore military forces. We received constant training in military tactics and counter-terrorism. We have the most advanced weaponry. It’s never been tested, but every Guard believes they could easily fight off an attack on the Parliament by the Army.”

“Impressive force. But what about politics?”
“There are always politics. To minimize that, the Guard reports only to the Security Committee of the Parliament, nine of the most senior and respected MPs. I have never known them to interfere in our police work.”
“What about the CNB. They seem to be a law unto themselves?”
“The work they do against drugs is highly valued, and much deference must be given to them and their agents. However, I have already requested a warrant to search the offices and files of the two agents involved. We will have that first thing tomorrow.”
“Sounds nice, darling. But can’t that be overruled by the Supreme Court or Judge Betar-Gisber or such?”
“No, the authority of the Parliamentary Court of Justice is absolute and answers only to the Security Committee. It is also where any crimes committed under the Guards jurisdiction will be tried.”

“If you are right, I’ll buy you a dozen IPAs when this is over!”

“I will enjoy them very much.”

Raffles Hospital, Downtown Singapore, Monday, 7:45 PM

DI Jack Frost and Chief Inspector Musa bin Ibrahim walked down the hall from Amanda’s room. The girl had recovered sufficiently to be moved from Emergency to a private room. When the detectives had arrived, she was agitated and arguing with the nurse over the place.
“I can’t be here!” she cried. “I don’t have health insurance from the Embassy, and I’m not covered here as a foreigner. This room will bankrupt me!”
Bin Ibrahim hastened to reassure her. “Don’t worry, Miss. The entire hospital cost, including the room and any other items, is being covered by the Singapore Parliamentary Guard as a partial apology for your being victimized on our grounds. There will be NO cost to you or your Embassy!”
Amanda calmed down a little after that but was still very tightly wound. Frost, who usually insisted on the lead in questioning, allowed his colleague to do so, thinking he had a more gentle style.

Musa spent more than half an hour, drawing out the story. Frost knew he’d made the right choice. The young man was very good at comforting her and soothing her occasional outbursts while getting every detail.
At about seven forty, they thanked her, bid her rest, and left.

“Not much new to go on there.” Said Musa.
“No,” said Frost. “Didn’t expect much. She denies the drugs were hers, or that she flirted sexually with the agents. She continues to obsess about not getting her papers to the court. Nothing indicated the agents were doing this in connection with Barbara Moore’s case (he had filled the Inspector in on the overview of that during dinner), though that doesn’t prove they didn’t.”
“No, it did not.”

Frost liked the skepticism in the young man’s voice. “Did anything she said strike you as strange?” He was interested to see how good this young Chief Inspector was.
“Yes. Two. The denial that she flirted with the men and that the drugs were hers both were a little strange. I put the flirting answer down to the usual post-traumatic stress of a victim of a violent rape."
"Almost certainly true." Frost was impressed by his young colleague.
"The drug answer was a bit more - over-done and, at the same time, hesitant. It could be due to stress and youthful innocence. But it wasn’t right. I figured that’s a matter for another day.”
“My thoughts precisely, darling.” Frost was very impressed. “So, on the surface, it was two horny and evil CNB agents spotting a pretty girl, harassing her, and things kept escalating until they took her into the restroom and violently raped her. The one agent's death seems natural. I’d seen him a week ago, and he was morbidly obese. The autopsy will confirm that, I expect.”
“Conducted by a Guards pathologist; it will be honest.” Added bin Ibrahim.
“Is there anything the “Guards” don’t have in-house?”
“Not that I can think of,” he replied with a smile.

“So tomorrow, the first thing, we try to search their offices and get any relevant files.”
“We will.”
“I'll wait to see if that happens,” said Frost. “Then, we can speak to this CNB agent, Zhihoa Jiang.”
“I am waiting very much for that,” said Musa, rubbing his fist into his hand.
Click to expand...
I think more hope for Amanda than Barb ... In the immediate term at least. I hope that somehow clemancy is achieved that commutes Batb's execution - but, damn, I can't wait to read about her enhanced, heightened caning!

Enjoyed the background info PrPr. Good stuff as always
 
Fossy said:
Wow ... now there's an angle! Trump demands a personal audience with Barb ... in private!
Click to expand...

Not good ... how will I ever get a word In edgewise

Praefectus Praetorio said:
Great Work Sett! Don't worry about Barb only 'liking' it. She just hates anything with Amanda that takes attention away from her. :p

You have that effect on a lot of men, Barb!:very_hot:
Click to expand...

I’ve nothing against her personally, just cheerleader types in general.


Praefectus Praetorio said:
“I can’t be here!” she cried. “I don’t have health insurance from the Embassy, and I’m not covered here as a foreigner. This room will bankrupt me!”
Click to expand...

Typical American fear that comes with being a citizen of a country with a shithole medical system when it comes to covering basic health needs.
 
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