Three Directors and One Company Charged with Alleged Offences

On 23 August 2024, the following three individuals and one company were charged in Court with alleged corruption, cheating and money laundering offences. They are:

a) Yap Chin Chye Alvin (“Alvin”) (叶进才, 49-year-old male Singaporean), a Sales Director of Geekplus SG Pte Ltd (“Geekplus”) at the material time;

b) Lee Mui Sim (“Ashelyn”) (李枚芯, 53-year-old female Singaporean), a Logistics Director of Henatenn Holdings Pte Ltd (“Henatenn”) at the material time;

c) Quek Chin Hock Alex (“Alex”) (50-year-old male Singaporean), a Co-Director and shareholder of ECT Asia Pte Ltd at the material time; and

d) ECT Asia Pte Ltd (“ECT Asia”).

Alleged Corruption and Cheating Offences in Relation to a Warehouse Automation Contract

2. Between 18 May and 7 December 2022, Alvin was alleged to have corruptly given Ashelyn and Alex a sum amounting to about S$67,485 over two occasions. These gratifications were purportedly given in return for recommending Henatenn to contract with Geekplus for their warehouse automation services and giving confidential information to Alvin to make Geekplus’ services more attractive to Henatenn.

3. Over the same period, Ashelyn and Alex were alleged to have conspired with Alvin to deceive Geek Plus International Company Limited¹ into approving the payment of sums totaling S$101,235 from Geekplus to ECT Asia’s bank account. ECT Asia purportedly provided consultancy services to Geekplus.

4. For their actions relating to Henatenn contracting with Geekplus for their warehouse automation services, Ashelyn and Alex each face two charges under section 6(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and one charge under Section 420 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code which is amalgamated pursuant to Section 124(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code. Correspondingly, Alvin faces two charges under Section 6(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and one charge under Section 420 of the Penal Code which is amalgamated pursuant to Section 124(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Alleged Cheating Offences in Relation to the Purchase of Shuttle Robots

5. Between 24 August and 21 December 2022, Alex and Alvin were alleged to have conspired with Ashelyn to cheat Henatenn by inflating the selling price of each unit of shuttle robots supplied from Geekplus to Henatenn from US$35,000 to US$45,000. It is alleged that this induced Henatenn to pay additional sums amounting to S$67,550 to Geekplus for five shuttle robots.

6. Thereafter, around 12 October 2022, Ashelyn and Alex were alleged to have conspired with Alvin to deceive Geek Plus International Company Limited into approving the payments of sums totaling S$67,550 from Geekplus to ECT Asia’s bank account.

7. For his actions relating to Henatenn’s purchase of shuttle robots from Geekplus, Alvin faces two charges under Section 420 of the Penal Code, of which one charge is read with Section 109 of the Penal Code and is amalgamated pursuant to Section 124(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code. Correspondingly, Ashelyn and Alex each face two charges under Section 420 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, of which one charge is amalgamated pursuant to Section 124(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Alleged Cheating Offences in Relation to Fictitious Invoices

8. Sometime between 23 November 2021 to 1 December 2022, Alvin was alleged to have conspired with Alex to cheat Geekplus by submitting fictitious invoices created by Alex of ECT Asia on three occasions in relation to rental of office space. It is alleged that the deceptive scheme induced Geekplus to make payments of S$1,500 and S$3,000 to Alvin’s bank account and ECT Asia, respectively.

9. For his actions relating to the alleged submission of fictitious invoices, Alvin faces two charges under Section 420 of the Penal Code, of which one charge is amalgamated pursuant to Section 124(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code. Correspondingly, Alex faces two charges under Section 420 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, of which one charge is amalgamated pursuant to Section 124(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Alleged Money Laundering Offences

10. Sometime between May to October 2022, Alex and Ashelyn were alleged to have used the purportedly corrupt commission payments and the marking up of the shuttle robot price relating to the warehouse automation contract to purchase three Rolex watches amounting to a total sum of S$27,500.

11. For their actions in the alleged purchase of watches with the corrupt payments, Alex and Ashelyn face two charges and one charge, respectively, punishable under Section 54(5)(a) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (“CDSA”).

12. ECT Asia faces two charges punishable under Section 54(5)(b) of the CDSA, for acquiring a total sum of S$101,235 which directly represents benefits from the alleged corrupt commissions payments arising from the warehouse automation contract. In addition, ECT Asia faces two charges punishable under Section 54(5)(b) of the CDSA, for acquiring a total sum of S$70,550 which directly represents benefits from the alleged cheating offences arising from the marking up of the price of shuttle robots.

13. Singapore adopts a strict zero-tolerance approach towards corruption. CPIB is fully committed to prevent, detect and take strong enforcement action against corruption and money laundering, as well as to the disgorgement of corrupt proceeds. Any person convicted of a corruption offence under Section 6 of the Prevention of Corruption Act can be fined up to S$100,000 or sentenced to imprisonment of up to five years or to both. Any person convicted of an offence under Section 420 of the Penal Code can be sentenced to imprisonment of up to 10 years, and also be liable to a fine.

14. Any person convicted of an offence under Section 54(5)(a) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act can be fined up to S$500,000 or sentenced to imprisonment of up to 10 years or to both. Any person who is not an individual convicted of an offence under Section 54(5)(b) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act can be fined up to S$1 million or twice the value of the property in respect of which the offence was committed, whichever is higher.

15. Companies are strongly advised to put in place robust procedures in areas such as procurement and internal audit to prevent falling victim to corrupt acts by their employees. Guidance for companies on measures to prevent corruption can be found in PACT: A Practical Anti-Corruption Guide for Businesses in Singapore, which is available on CPIB’s website. Companies are also strongly encouraged to obtain certification under the Singapore Standard (SS) ISO 37001 – Anti-Bribery Management Systems, which is designed to help companies implement or enhance an anti-bribery management system to reduce corporate risk and costs related to bribery.

Reference Links:

• PACT: https://www.cpib.gov.sg/research-room/publications/anti-corruption-guide-for-businesses/

• SS ISO 37001: https://www.cpib.gov.sg/research-room/publications/ss-iso-37001/

Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau

Footnote:
1. Geekplus SG Pte Ltd is the Singapore based subsidiary of Geek Plus International Company Ltd, a Hong Kong incorporated company.