The former principal consultant of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) was charged on Jan. 26 with conspiring to cheat two statutory boards of some S$77,500.

Jeffrey Ho Kiat, 54, was charged with conspiring to cheat IMDA and the People's Association (PA). 

Also charged with the same offence on the same day was Ng Sok Luan, 42, a former director of Goldentree Innovations and Creative Futures Agency.

Ho headed DesignSingapore Council, Singapore's national agency for design, from 2009 to 2016, before joining IMDA.

He also founded the School of Design at Singapore Polytechnic in 2004.

Charges

According to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), the two allegedly conspired to cheat IMDA by concealing Ho’s interest in Goldentree and Creative Futures.

Goldentree is the sub-vendor of Jzsfotografix and Zelkova Serrata.

They dishonestly induced IMDA into making payments totalling more than S$41,800 to Zelkova and Creative Futures in 2018 and 2019 for jobs awarded to these companies, CPIB said.

The duo allegedly also acted together to conspire sometime in 2018 to cheat PA by concealing Ho’s interest in Goldentree.

Ho and Ng also induced PA into making payments to all three companies for jobs awarded to them.

CPIB said this separate amount was almost S$35,700.

Ho and Ng each face 12 charges for the offence of cheating and dishonestly inducing a delivery of property.

The penalty involves a punishment of up to 10 years' jail, a fine, or both.

Top photo via DesignSingapore