Legal

BP Singapore bunker bribery case update: CPIB officer takes to the stand

CPIB recorded statements for Pacific Prime Trading’s Koh Seng Lee and BP Singapore’s Clarence Chang was a subject of focus during Tuesday’s session at the State Court.

Published

8 years ago

July 24, 2018

Admin

The trial of former BP Singapore Regional Marine Manager Clarence Chang continued at the State Courts of Singapore on Tuesday.

Chang was facing 20 charges for allegedly accepting bribes totalling USD $3.95 million from Koh Seng Lee, the sole shareholder and executive director of Pacific Prime Trading (PPT) between the period of July 31, 2006 and July 26, 2010.

Tuesday morning’s session focused on Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB)’s recorded statements for both Chang and Koh.

CPIB Investigation Officer Bay Chun How, who recorded the statement of both suspects, said Chang initiated the establishment of PPT.

“Mr Chang does not have official status with PPT except that he understood Mr Koh will know he will help PPT,” said Bay.

“Clarence [Chang] informed me that as long as Mr Koh makes money from PPT, Mr Koh will transfer some of money made to Clarence.

“Between Mr Koh and Clarence [Chang] they had a HSBC account in Hong Kong and payment was deposited to Clarence’s [Chang] HSBC account in Hong Kong.”

Bay further explained Chang and Koh each set up a HSBC bank account at Hong Kong with the alleged purpose of receiving funds.

“I pose the question and Clarence [Chang] told me it was a clean account to receive money from PPT.”

Interestingly, the CPIB officer told members at the hearing that Chang claimed the formation of Singapore bunkering firm Vermont UM was a collective idea between Vermont Group Holdings in Hong Kong and Chang himself.

Poh Fu Tek, a director of Vermont UM, invested 24.5% into the company while Koh was invited to invest another 24.5%; Vermont Group Holdings held the remaining 51% of the Singapore bunkering firm.

The nature and intention of Koh’s SGD $500,000 investment into Mindchamps City Square between 2009 to 2010, an establishment managed by Chang’s wife Fennie Ong, where Koh was also a director and equal shareholder was in question during the hearing.

Bay alleged Koh “doesn’t quite segregate” the sum of money if it was an investment or for profit sharing as only purpose for the activity was to “keep the business with BP on”.

“When Clarence [Chang] asked he [Koh] could not say ‘no’ because of business dealings at BP,” said Bay.

“By saying no, Clarence [Chang] has the power to terminate PPT’s status as partner of BP.”

Andre Maniam, Senior Counsel at WongPartnership, questioned the accuracy of Bay’s recorded statements of Koh that were written over a period of time.

“[Bay,] your records [initially] suggest Koh was transferring these moneys as investments, but you [later] wrote them down as loans; but now you tell us now that this may be Clarence Chang's share of profits?” Asked Maniam.

Bay maintained his stance when questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor Jiang Ke-Yue.

“Koh has a very clear ‘business man’ thinking which is so long as it is still profitable after giving what Clarence [Chang] wants he will continue this relationship and to him therefore all money given to Clarence [Chang] were money to keep PPT’s business intact with BP.”

The trial continues 25 July.

Photo credit: Chensiyuan / CC BY-SA 4.0
Published: 24 July, 2018

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.

Published

11 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

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.

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

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.

Published

11 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

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.

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

Winding up

Singapore: Liquidator of Nan Shan Maritime Pte Ltd issues notice of dividend

Third interim dividend to admitted unsecured claims of Nan Shan Maritime is payable from 15 July, according to Government Gazette notice.

Published

5 days ago

July 16, 2026

Admin

A notice of dividend for Nan Shan Maritime Pte Ltd, which is currently in creditors’ voluntary liquidation, was published on the Government Gazette on Wednesday (15 July).

The following are the details of the notice:

Name of Company : Nan Shan Maritime (Pte.) Ltd.(In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No. : 201701967H
Address of Registered Office : 10 Anson Road, #10-10, International Plaza, Singapore 079903
Amount per centum : 5.00 Per Centum of all admitted unsecured, claims
First and Final or Otherwise : Third Interim
When Payable : 15 July 2026
Where Payable : Entitlements will be made by way of cheque.

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 16 July, 2026