Legal

BP Singapore bunker trial: PPT Director loses appeal, to begin 80-month jail sentence

Court of Appeal’s decision on appeal is final and cannot be further appealed against, according to the government of Singapore.

Published

1 year ago

March 27, 2024

Admin

The Court of Appeal of the Republic of Singapore on Friday (15 March) upheld the previous ruling of an 80-month jail sentence for the Executive Director of marine fuel trading firm Pacific Prime Trading (PPT) despite a second round of appeal.

Koh Seng Lee (Mr Koh), who paid former BP Singapore manager Chang Peng Hong Clarence (Mr Chang) $5.88 million in bribes on 19 occasions between 2006 and 2010, is expected to begin his jail sentence on Wednesday (27 March).

Original sentence – State Courts

The State Courts of Singapore on May 2021 found Mr Koh and Mr Chang guilty of corruption and initially issued a 54-month jail sentence for both parties.

Further, Mr Chang was issued a penalty of SGD 6 million (exact: SGD 6,220,095) and faced an additional 28-month imprisonment term if he decides not to pay the penalty.

Both Mr Koh and Mr Chang decided to appeal the State Court’s decision by taking the case to the High Court.

First appeal attempt – High Court

The High Court on March 2023 increased the jail sentence for both appellants to an 80-month imprisonment term after a failed appeal attempt by Mr Koh and Mr Chang on the May 2021 decision.

“In relation to sentence, I dismissed the appellants’ appeals against their respective sentences,” stated Vincent Hoong, Judge of the High Court, in his judgement dated August 2023.

“I allowed the appeal by the Prosecution in respect of both sentences and set aside the sentences of 54 months’ imprisonment imposed by the District Judge for Koh and Chang.

“I imposed a sentence of 80 months’ imprisonment for each appellant. I further ordered that three penalty orders under s 13(1) of the PCA be imposed on Chang for the amounts of $1,796,090 $1,905,520, and $2,175,985, with a total in-default imprisonment term of 2129 days’ imprisonment.”

Second appeal attempt – Court of Appeal

Both Mr Koh and Mr Chang went to the Court of Appeal to contest the High Court’s August 2023 decision by stating the Prosecution breached its disclosure obligations under Muhammad bin Kadar and another v PP [2011] 3 SLR 1205 (Kadar), amongst other claims.

Submissions by Deputy Public Prosecutors in December 2023, as seen by bunkering publication Manifold Times, concluded: “The Kadar questions do not satisfy the requirements for leave to be granted. They do not arise from the case that was before the High Court, and they are not questions of law of public interest. Rather, they are attempts to circumnavigate the single tier of appeals of our criminal justice system. Leave should be refused, and costs should be awarded.”

The Court of Appeal’s decision on appeal is final and cannot be further appealed against, according to the government of Singapore.

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 27 March 2024

Related Topics:Features Legal - Corruption

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1 day ago

April 29, 2025

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A notice was published in the Government Gazette on Friday (25 April), regarding the first and final dividend to preferential creditors of East Marine Pte Ltd.

The following are details of the notice of dividend of the company:

Name of Company : East Marine Pte Ltd (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Singapore UEN : 198601345E
Address of Registered Office : 8 Wilkie Road #03-08 Wilkie Edge, Singapore 228095
Amount per centum : 100.00 per centum of all admitted preferential claims pursuant to Section 203(1)(d), (e), (g) and (h) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018
First and final or otherwise : First and final
When payable : 25 April 2025 onwards
Where payable : Interbank transfer (all bank charges shall be borne by the recipient of the preferential dividend payment)

Photo credit: steve pb from Pixabay
Published: 29 April, 2025

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Singapore: Liquidator schedules final meeting for Kukuh Shipping Pte Ltd

Final meeting of members of the company will be held at 9 Raffles Place, #19-20 Republic Plaza Tower 2, Singapore 048619 on 26 May at 10 am, according to Government Gazette notice.

Published

2 days ago

April 28, 2025

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The final meeting of members for Kukuh Shipping Pte Ltd, has been scheduled to take place on 26 May, according to the company’s liquidator on a notice posted on Friday (25 April) on the Government Gazette.

The meeting will be held at 9 Raffles Place, #19-20 Republic Plaza Tower 2, Singapore 048619 at 10 am.

It is being held for the purpose of receiving an account from the liquidator showing the manner in which the winding-up has been conducted and of hearing any explanation that may be given by the liquidator.

According to SGPBusiness, a business directory for companies registered in Singapore, the company's principal activity is in shipping, including chartering of ships and boats with crews.

The details of the liquidator are as follows:

Cheng Sam Tai Catherine
Liquidator
c/o Crowe Horwath First Trust Corporate Advisory Pte. Ltd.
9 Raffles Place, #19-20 Republic Plaza Tower 2, Singapore 048619

Photo credit: Jo_Johnston from Pixabay
Published: 28 April, 2025

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Final meeting scheduled for Diamond S Management (Singapore) Pte Ltd

Meeting will be held at 9.30am on 29 May by electronic means via a Zoom meeting to hear any explanation that may be given by the liquidator, according to Government Gazette notice.

Published

2 days ago

April 28, 2025

Admin

The final meeting of Diamond S Management (Singapore) Pte Ltd, has been scheduled to take place on 29 May, according to the company’s liquidators on a notice posted on Wednesday (16 October) on the Government Gazette.

The meeting will be held at 9.30am by way of electronic means via a Zoom meeting. It is being held for the purpose of the members to receive and consider the Liquidators’ Statement of Accounts, showing how the winding-up has been conducted and the property of the company has been disposed of and to receive an explanation thereof.

The liquidators of the company are Mona Low Sok Lee and Teo Chai Choo.

According to SGPBusiness, a business directory for companies registered in Singapore, and The Grid, B2B Sales Intelligence platform, the company’s principal activity is ship management services.

Note: Any member entitled to attend and vote at the meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy or corporate representative to attend and vote on his behalf. A proxy or corporate representative need not be a member. The instrument appointing a proxy or corporate representative must be deposited at the Registered Office of the Company at 4 Shenton Way, #04-01 SGX Centre 2, Singapore 068807 not less than seventy-two hours before the time set for holding of the Meeting.

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 28 April, 2025