SINGAPORE: While working as an operations manager at St Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School (SACSS), a woman allegedly accepted bribes from a company director on six occasions.
Goh Jong Lih, 61, was on Wednesday (Mar 26) charged with multiple offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The director, 45-year-old Loo Wei Kiat, was also handed multiple charges under the Act.
In a media release, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said that Goh allegedly obtained bribes in the form of loans totalling S$9,500 (US$7,100) from Loo on six occasions between February 2020 and December 2021.
At the time, Loo was a director at Advent Solutions & Projects (AS&P), a company specialising in light-emitting diode, or LED, displays. He allegedly offered the bribes as a means of advancing AS&P’s business interests with SACSS.
“On multiple occasions between 2017 (and) 2021, Loo allegedly gave documents issued by various contractors and himself to Goh who then used them to deceive and mislead SACSS,” CPIB said.
Goh is facing six charges for offences punishable under Section 6(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. She is also facing 17 charges for offences punishable under Section 6(c) of the Act, of which 10 are amalgamated under the Criminal Procedure Code.
Among her charges, Goh is accused of using documents with false statements relating to the supply of labour, tools and materials to repolish the marble floor steps and the top of the interior of the school’s chapel.
She is also said to have used a document containing false statements about the supply of a closed-circuit television system and an LED monitor, the supply of Samsung mobile phones, and about works at the toilets and car parks.
Loo is facing six charges for offences punishable under Section 6(b) of the Act in addition to 14 charges for offences punishable under Section 6(c) of the Act, of which seven are amalgamated under the Criminal Procedure Code.
Some charges he faces – where he gave documents containing false statements to Goh – mirror Goh’s.
Goh was represented by lawyer S S Dhillon, who said he had just been engaged and asked for time to take instructions.
Appearing unrepresented in court, Loo sought a month’s adjournment to engage a lawyer. He did not indicate a plea. Both will return to court on Apr 23.
“Singapore adopts a strict zero-tolerance approach towards corruption,” CPIB said.
Those convicted of a corruption offence under Section 6 of the Prevention of Corruption Act face a fine of up to S$100,000, up to five years in prison, or both.
An individual convicted of an offence amalgamated under the Criminal Procedure Code can face two times the penalties associated with the offence.
