Charged For Cheating, Falsification And Corruption Offences

On 29 December 2020, three individuals will be charged in Court for respective cheating, falsification and corruption offences.

a) Tang Li Ming Clive (“Clive”) (邓力铭, 37-year-old male Singaporean), Director of WCT Systems Pte Ltd (“WCT Systems”) and WCT Holdings Group Pte Ltd (“WCT Holdings”) at the material time of the offences;

b) Peter Chua Hua Seng (“Peter”) (蔡华城, 42-year-old male Singaporean), Director of Skylight Holdings Pte Ltd (“Skylight”) at the material time of the offences; and

c) Joemario Lim Ruiyang (“Joemario”) (林瑞阳, 28-year-old male Singaporean), Director of Fortune Coal & Energy Pte Ltd (“FCE”) and Champion Corporate Consultants Pte Ltd (“CCC”) at the material time of the offences.

Cheating and falsification offences

2. Sometime in end 2017 or early 2018, the trio allegedly conspired to cheat and dishonestly induce IBM Capital Singapore Pte Ltd (“IBM”) to pay a sum of $160,500 to Skylight, by deceiving IBM into believing that WCT Holdings had purchased a server and 15 mobile phones through Skylight. This resulted in IBM having to pay a sum of S$160,500 to Skylight, when there was in fact no such purchase. For doing so, they each face one charge for the offence of cheating and dishonestly inducing a delivery of property punishable under Section 420 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code.

3. Pursuant to their conspiracy, Peter had allegedly falsified a delivery order in Skylight’s letterhead, which falsely stated that the server and 15 mobile phones had been delivered to WCT Holdings’ office. Joemario then collected the said falsified delivery order from Peter and passed it to Clive for the latter to sign and acknowledge the delivery of the said items, when the truth was that there was no such delivery. In addition to the falsification of the delivery order, Peter had also allegedly prepared a falsified tax invoice in Skylight’s letterhead. The falsified tax invoice was used to bill IBM S$160,500 for the said server and 15 mobile phones purportedly delivered to WCT Holdings. For the abovesaid, Peter will face two charges for the falsification of accounts punishable under section 477A of the Penal Code, while Clive and Joemario will each face one abetment charge under Section 477A read with Section 109 of the Penal Code.

4. In order to legitimately disburse the funds Skylight received from IBM to WCT Holdings, Clive allegedly prepared a falsified tax invoice in WCT Holdings’ letterhead to falsely state that Skylight had purchased certain equipment from WCT Holdings. This was allegedly on Peter’s instructions communicated to Clive via Joemario. For this, Clive will face one charge for the falsification of accounts punishable under Section 477A of the Penal Code, while Peter and Joemario will each face one abetment charge under Section 477A read with section 109 of the Penal Code.

5. For the same purpose, Joemario allegedly prepared a falsified tax invoice in CCC’s letterhead to legitimise the disbursement of money from Skylight to FCE, another company of which Joemario is a Director of. Again, this was allegedly on Peter’s instructions. For this, Joemario will face one charge for the falsification of accounts punishable under Section 477A of the Penal Code, while Peter will face one abetment charge under Section 477A read with Section 109 of the Penal Code.

6. Separately, Clive is also charged by the Singapore Police Force under Section 468 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code for instigating an unknown Chinese male to commit forgery for the purpose of cheating.

Corruption offences

7. In addition, Clive will face corruption charges involving three other individuals, that took place in 2016 and 2017. His alleged offences are as follows:

a) Sometime in or around November and December 2016, he corruptly gave San Jose Ronnel Dela Cruz (“Ronnel”), a Project Executive with Wine Trade Asia Pte Ltd (at the material time of the offence), a gratification of S$250 as a reward to recommend the award of a contract to WCT Systems for the replacement of an exhaust motor at Wine Connection restaurant at Cuppage Road. This amounted to one charge for an offence punishable under Section 6(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

b) Sometime in or around April and May 2017, he corruptly agreed to give Lee Soo Peng (“Lee”), a Project Director with Vivere Design Studios Pte Ltd (at the material time of the offence), a gratification of S$1,000 as a reward for recommending the award of a contract to City Exhaust Systems Pte Ltd (“CES”) (another company of which Clive was formerly a director) for the installation of a fire suppression system at Ding Xin Coffee Shop. This amounted to one charge for an offence punishable under Section 6(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

c) On 14 November 2017, he knowingly gave false information to a Senior Special Investigator of CPIB. This amounted to one charge for giving false information which is an offence punishable under Section 28(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

8. In connection to the corruption offences committed by Clive, three other individuals were earlier charged and convicted accordingly. Their offences and sentences are as follows:

a) Tan Yi Jing, Felicia (“Felicia”) (陈依璟, 31-year-old female Singaporean), Sales Manager of WCT Systems Pte Ltd at the material time of the offence, was sentenced to S$7,500 fine on 4 September 2020 for the following offences:

i. Abetting Clive by intentionally aiding him to corruptly give gratification of S$250 to Ronnel as a reward for recommending the award of a contract to WCT Systems for the replacement of an exhaust motor at Wine Connection restaurant at Cuppage Road. This amounted to one charge for an offence punishable under Section 6(b) read with Section 29(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

ii. Corruptly offering gratification of S$1,000 to Lee as a reward for recommending the award of a contract to CES for the installation of a fire suppression system at Ding Xin Coffee Shop. This amounted to one charge for an offence punishable under Section 6(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

b) San Jose Ronnel Dela Cruz (“Ronnel”) (41-year-old Philippines National), Project Executive with Wine Trade Asia Pte Ltd, at the material time of the offence, was sentenced to S$1,000 fine and ordered to pay a penalty of S$250 on 3 December 2019 for an offence punishable under Section 6(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. He corruptly obtained gratification of S$250 from Felicia, as a reward for recommending the award of a contract to WCT Systems for the replacement of an exhaust motor at Wine Connection restaurant at Cuppage Road.

c) Lee Soo Peng (“Lee”) (49-year-old male Singaporean), Project Director with Vivere Design Studios Pte Ltd, at the material time of the offence, was sentenced to S$7,000 fine on 2 April 2020 for an offence punishable under Section 6(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. He corruptly agreed to accept gratification of S$1,000 from Felicia as a reward for recommending the award of a contract to CES for the installation of a fire suppression system at Ding Xin Coffee Shop.

9. Singapore adopts a zero tolerance approach towards corruption and other criminal activities such as cheating and the falsification of accounts. Any person who is convicted of a corruption offence can be fined up to $100,000 or sentenced to imprisonment of up to 5 years or to both. Any person who is convicted of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code or the falsification of accounts under Section 477A of the Penal Code can be sentenced to imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and also be liable to a fine.

Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau