SINGAPORE, Feb 19 – Glenn Knight, the first director of Singapore’s Commercial Affairs Department (CAD), died today while returning from Australia at the age of 80.
CNA reported that Knight, a prominent prosecutor in the 1970s and 80s, died mid-flight on a Scoot airline journey to Singapore, where police confirmed no foul play after finding him unresponsive upon arrival.
During his tenure, Knight prosecuted several high-profile cases in Singapore, including the Pan-Electric Industries scandal and the Adrian Lim murder case.
The Pan-Electric Industries scandal had led to the conviction of Tan Sri Tan Koon Swan, who was the MCA president from 1985 to 1986.
Knight later revealed in his book that the charge was wrongful, impacting cross-border legal and political relations between the two countries.
Knight led the CAD from its establishment in 1984, but his career ended in 1992 when he was convicted of attempted cheating and providing false information to obtain a government car loan.
His downfall came in 1991 when he was arrested for corruption-related offences, leading to his disbarment in 1994, though he was reinstated in 2007 after years of financial and professional hardship.
Knight reportedly practiced law until around 2022.