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BP Singapore bunker trial: Prosecution and Defence present submissions (Part 2)

Deputy Public Prosecutor Jiang Ke-Yue presented his case to the court during the BP Singapore bunker trial on Tuesday.

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Manifold Times was present at the BP Singapore bunker trial on Tuesday. The following report is part two (of two) focusing on submissions from the public prosecutor and is meant to read as a continuation of part 1 found here.

Prosecution’s submissions
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jiang Ke-Yue, meanwhile, maintained his stand that alleged corruption was involved in the dealings between Chang and Koh.

The court learnt that Koh began operations at Singapore bunker trading firm New Orient and got to know Clarence Chang in 1997. A few years later, Chang asked Koh to set up PPT to be the trading counterparty of BP and suggested that Chang be a shadow partner or co-owner of the firm.

“Now we have profit and loss figures for PPT where the figure we see was $8 million in 2015, not bad compared to $100,000 which Mr Koh put in [to setup PPT]. What did Chang put in? Nothing! Although he described himself as a co-owner and shadow director,” said Jiang.

“The defence urges your honour to consider them in isolation but the totality of the situation must be considered. The payment request cannot be considered in isolation but must be considered when it all began when Chang and Koh setup PPT.”

According to Jiang, Chang and Koh were two key figures in the setting up of PPT.

“It is simply that this was a case of Chang asking Mr Koh having to pay because if he did not, his fears will be realised as he was paying to keep PPT’s business with BP,” he explained the duo’s alleged working relationship.

“Firstly, an unequal bargaining positon. It was Chang who initiated the setup, it was Chang who would make or break PPT […] It was Chang who opened the door to PPT, and it was Chang upon whom PPT’s fortunes will depend on.

“The second feature is unwritten profit sharing; [Chang] had no share in PPT yet he described himself as co-owner and shadow partner. Why was payment given as business grew? He calls this as was what was due to him, simple as that.”

“The unequal relationship and an excuse to take money, we submit your honour that this case is no different from those retainers who take a future ulterior motive,” noted Jiang, referring to the period when Chang started receiving money from Koh five years after PPT started business with BP in 2001.

“Chang initiated the setup, he was there when PPT fortunes grew; all the while he had not disclosed this conflict to his employer,” he added.

District Judge Ong Chin Rhu, after hearing respective submissions of the Prosecution and Defence, decided more time is needed to consider the submissions and recommended the prosecution to tweak certain charges in relation to the case for hearing at a future date.

Related: BP Singapore bunker trial: Prosecution and Defence present submissions (Part 1)
RelatedBP Singapore bunker bribery case update: BP bunker trade data in question
RelatedBP Singapore bunker bribery case update: CPIB officer takes to the stand
RelatedUPDATE: BP Singapore bunker bribery case
RelatedBP Singapore bunker bribery case continues

Photo credit: Chensiyuan / CC BY-SA 4.0
Published: 9 August, 2018

 

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Winding up

Singapore: High Court to hear Norvic Shipping Asia winding up application on 31 July

Application for the winding up of Norvic Shipping Asia Pte Ltd was filed by Netherlands-registered Mur Shipping BV on 8 April, according to Government Gazette notice.

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RESIZED singapore high court

An application for the winding up of Norvic Shipping Asia Pte Ltd was filed by Netherlands-registered Mur Shipping BV on 8 April, according to a Tuesday (21 July) notice on the Government Gazette.

It noted the winding up application is directed to be heard before the Judge sitting in the General Division of the High Court at 10am on 31 July.

Any creditor or contributory of the company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the winding up application may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose.

A copy of the winding up application will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the company requiring the copy of the winding up application by the solicitors of the applicant’s, Oon & Bazul LLC, on payment of the regulated charge for the same.

The Applicant’s address is Hiridostraat 5, Gebouw Prismatrium, 1101CW Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The Applicant’s solicitors are Oon & Bazul LLC of 103 Penang Rd, #04-04/05/06 Singapore 238467. 

Queries on the winding up application may be directed to the following email addresses: [email protected] and [email protected].

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 22 July, 2026

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Legal

Singapore withdraws remaining 127 charges against Hin Leong founder OK Lim

Lim Oon Kuin, also known as OK Lim, was issued a stern warning and a district court granted him a discharge amounting to an acquittal for these charges on 17 July.

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RESIZED Sora Shimazaki on Pexels

Founder of collapsed oil trader Hin Leong Trading, Lim Oon Kuin, also known as OK Lim, has had the remaining 127 charges against him withdrawn, according to The Straits Times on Monday (20 July). 

OK Lim was issued a stern warning and a district court granted him a discharge amounting to an acquittal for these charges, including those for cheating, on 17 July. The discharge means Lim cannot be prosecuted again for the same offences.

Lim, 84, is currently serving a 13½-year prison sentence after the High Court reduced his original 17½-year jail term in March 2026. He was convicted in 2024 on two cheating charges and one count of abetting forgery in a case prosecutors described as one of Singapore’s most serious trade finance frauds.

Lim was convicted in May 2024 of two charges of cheating the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) and one count of abetting forgery that proceeded to trial out of a total of 130 criminal charges.

He was first charged in court on 14 August 2020, and was subsequently handed further charges in court on 25 September 2020, 30 April 2021 and 24 June 2021 for his role in perpetuating fraud on various financial institutions. 

A total of 130 charges were eventually brought against him for cheating and forgery-related offences.

Related: Singapore: Hin Leong Founder OK Lim gets jail term slashed to 13.5 years

 

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

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Winding up

Singapore: Coastal Logistics Pte Ltd to be wound up voluntarily

Coastal Logistics was reportedly affiliated with troubled Singapore bunker player Coastal Oil (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

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RESIZED Drew Beamer

Several resolutions for Coastal Logistics Pte Ltd were made during an extraordinary general meeting held on 14 July, according to a notice in the Government Gazette on Friday (4 July).

The following resolutions were duly passed during the meeting:

As Special Resolution

  • That it has been proved to the satisfaction of the meeting that the Company cannot by reason of its liabilities continue its business and accordingly the Company be wound up voluntarily pursuant to Section 160(1)(b) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 (No. 40 of 2018);

As Ordinary Resolutions

  • that Mr. Wong Pheng Cheong Martin and Ms. Koay May Yee, both care of FTI Consulting (Singapore) Pte Ltd, One Raffles Quay, #27-10 South Tower, Singapore 048583 be appointed as the joint and several Liquidators of the Company for the purpose of such winding up; and
  • that the Liquidators be at liberty to open, maintain and operate any bank account(s) or account(s) for monies received by them as Liquidators with such bank(s) as they deem fit; and
  • that a Committee of Inspection will not be formed.

Manifold Times previously reported Nicholas James Gronow, director of Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping and Coastal Logistics, filed statutory declarations for both companies stating the firms cannot continue their businesses due to liabilities.

Both companies were reportedly affiliated with troubled Singapore bunker player Coastal Oil (Singapore) Pte Ltd. 

In 2019, several vessels owned by both firms entered the sale & purchase (S&P) market in Singapore.

Related: Singapore: Director declares Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping’s inability to continue business
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping in court over DBS Bank bunker tanker loan
Related: Singapore: Bunker tanker “Coastal Neptune” arrested
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping, Coastal Logistics tankers enter S&P market

 

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

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