Town council management agent employee, 63, charged for taking S$220,000 in bribes from firm directors, used money to buy Mercedes Benz

An employee at a town council management agency has been charged for allegedly taking bribes from the directors of three engineering and construction firms.

Phua Gim Chuan, 63, had allegedly received a total of S$220,000 from three other men as a payment to advance their business interests.

At the time of the offences, Phua was a Senior Project Manager of EM Services Private Limited, a managing agent of Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council, Sembawang Town Council and Sengkang Town Council.

The other three men involved in the corruption were also charged in court on Aug. 21.

Corruption

The alleged crimes occurred over nearly three years between March 2020 and January 2023.

According to a press release by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), Phua allegedly obtained bribes from 66-year-old Yap Hwee Kang, a director at Paragon Engineering Pte Ltd (PEPL) in March 2020.

The alleged bribes totalled S$30,000 and acted as an inducement for a proposed contract between PEPL and Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council.

Sometime between September and October 2022, Phua allegedly obtained bribes from 62-year-old Ng Lee Peng, a director at MCE Contract Services Pte Ltd (MCEPL) and J&M Construction Pte Ltd (JMCPL).

The alleged bribes totalled S$40,000 and acted as an inducement for a proposed contract between MCEPL and Sembawang Town Council.

In December 2022, Phua allegedly obtained bribes from 64-year-old Lim Kian Koon, a director at Seah & Lim Construction Pte Ltd (SLCPL).

The alleged bribes totalled S$100,000 and acted as an inducement for a proposed contract between SLCPL and Sengkang Town Council.

Phua also allegedly instructed his wife to deposit the pocketed S$90,000 in cash into her personal bank account, thereby concealing his corruption offences.

In December 2022, Phua allegedly again obtained another S$50,000 in bribes from Ng.

This time, the funds acted as an inducement for a proposed contract between JMCPL and Sengkang Town Council.

In the same month, Phua used about S$105,000 of his illegal funds to pay for a Mercedes-Benz.

Charges

For his actions, Phua faced four charges for corruption, as well as two charges for concealing the illegal funds and using them to buy the car.

Yap and Lim also faced one charge each for corruption, while Ng faced two charges.

If convicted, the men can be fined up to S$100,000, jailed up to five years, or both.

If the crimes are in relation to a matter or contract or sub-contract with the government or public body, the maximum imprisonment term for each offence of corruption can be increased to seven years.