SINGAPORE: A couple and their two sons in a family construction business were charged in court on Thursday (Jun 26) for allegedly giving bribes to managers of properties, including condominiums.
The four were charged alongside those accused of receiving bribes from them. A total of seven others, most of whom had property management-related roles, received charges.
The four family members are from OCL Building Services, a contractor that provides building construction services for various properties.
Ong Chin Kee, 66, and his wife, Lea Lam Moy, 66, are both directors of OCL, while their sons are OCL project director Jovi Ong Teng Hong, 36, and OCL general manager Jordan Ong Wei How, 30.
The four are said to have conspired to give bribes amounting to S$56,260 (US$44,100) to various people between 2018 and 2022. Each was handed 17 counts of corruption.
The bribes were allegedly in exchange for furthering the business interests of OCL with various condominiums.
Ong Chin Kee is also accused of instigating two others to change their statements to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), said the anti-graft agency on Thursday.
He purportedly also informed two other individuals of an investigation by CPIB against them and OCL.
Ong Chin Kee faces four charges for obstructing justice over these alleged offences.
The family of four is represented by Wong Partnership’s Tang Shangwei, who indicated that his clients will be contesting the charges. Their cases have been fixed for a pre-trial conference on Jul 24.
OTHERS ACCUSED OF ACCEPTING BRIBES
Five others who were working in condominiums were also charged for allegedly accepting bribes.
Condominium manager Lim Tian Teck, 57, who was from Smart Property Management, and deployed to Citylights and Trevista, purportedly accepted bribes amounting to S$2,600 on four occasions between 2018 and 2019. He was handed four charges of corruption.
Another condominium manager, Theva Sundram, 71, then with Newman & Goh Property Consultants and deployed to The Ladyhill, is said to have accepted bribes totalling S$20,260 on seven occasions between 2019 and 2022. He was slapped with four charges of corruption.
Condominium manager Lim Pei Xiong, 31, who was then with Hilandas Property & Facilities Management, and deployed to Thomson View and The Cotz, allegedly accepted bribes amounting to S$23,500 over four occasions between 2021 and 2022. Lim Pei Xiong, who is Malaysian, faces two charges of graft.
Roberta Mok Yen Kwei, 40, an Oxley Holdings manager deployed to Novotel, Flora Vista and Change Alley Mall, is said to have accepted bribes totalling S$5,000 over four occasions in 2022. She was handed an amalgamated charge of corruption.
Lim Tian Teck, Theva, Lim Pei Xiong and Mok told the court that they will be pleading guilty, and their hearings have been fixed for Aug 7.
A property officer, Azman Abdul Rahim, 61, who was with Knight Frank Estate Management and then deployed to Craig Place, is said to have accepted bribes amounting to S$3,400 over three occasions in 2020. He faces two charges of corruption and will next return to court on Jul 24.
Apart from the nine individuals, two others were charged in relation to the offences.
Ong Chin Sin, 64, the sole proprietor of NY Furnishing & Renovation, is said to have given S$4,000 in bribes to a senior facilities manager employed by Lasalle College of the Arts, Zulkifli Hussain, over three occasions between 2015 and 2022.
Ong Chin Sin and Zulkifli were each given three counts of graft and had their cases fixed for Jul 24.
Ong Chin Sin is not related to the family of four.
If convicted of corruption, a person can be jailed up to five years, and fined up to S$100,000 or both.
For the obstruction of justice offence, an offender can be jailed up to seven years, or fined, or both.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Ong Chin Sin had been charged with obstruction of justice. This information was provided by CPIB, which has since said that Ong was not given that charge.
