Two Singaporeans and two Malaysians have been charged in court over alleged workplace corruption involving more than $530,000 in bribes, as well as offences including money laundering, forgery and giving false information to a public officer.
According to a Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) press release, those charged are: Singaporean company directors Panneerselvam s/o Arunasalam from H&A Engineering Pte Ltd and Tan Swee Soon from San Hoe Hardware Pte Ltd, as well as Malaysian nationals Logeswaran Bandiyya, a former shift engineer, and Lim Siew Teng, a former manager.
The various offences allegedly occurred in 2021 and 2022, and primarily involved 45-year-old Logeswaran from REC Solar Pte Ltd.
The CPIB alleged that between July and December 2021, Lim and Tan conspired to give Logeswaran gratification totalling $220,000 in the form of cash cheques and bank transfers, as an inducement for him to render assistance to their company, San Hoe, and further its business interests with REC.
Logeswaran then allegedly attempted to obtain an additional $310,000 from the pair in July 2022 for the same purpose.
CPIB added that the Malaysian shift engineer also allegedly offered his REC supervisor $1,500 in cash in April 2022 to avoid being reported to his management for violating the company's standard operating procedures.
Panneerselvam, 63, was embroiled in the case in 2021 when he helped to move money that represented Logeswaran's alleged corrupt benefits.
According to CPIB, Panneerselvam allegedly encashed two cash cheques amounting to S$30,000 from San Hoe and allegedly transferred a total of $115,000 received in H&A's bank account that was subsequently passed to Logeswaran in cash over several occasions.
On top of the alleged corruption offences, Logeswaran is also facing charges for forgery and giving false information.
CPIB alleged that he created two false invoices under H&A Engineering in October 2021, purportedly for the provision of technical support and decommissioning work, even though these services were never performed.
In October the following year, Logeswaran is accused of providing false information to a CPIB investigation officer by claiming that another individual had corruptly received gratification through a H&A receipt, despite knowing the information was false.
According to CPIB, this was intended to cause the bureau to investigate that individual.
For their alleged actions, Lim and Tan each face four charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Panneerselvam faces three money laundering charges under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act.
Logeswaran faces five corruption-related charges. Additionally, he faces a forgery charge under the Penal Code, as well as a separate charge under Section 182 for giving false information to a public officer.
CPIB reiterated that Singapore adopts a strict zero-tolerance approach towards corruption.
Anyone convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act will face a fine of up to $100,000 and/or a jail term of up to five years.
"Organisations are strongly advised to put in place robust financial procedures in areas such as procurement to prevent falling victim to corrupt acts by their rogue employees," said the bureau.
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