Clarence Chang (left) and Koh Seng Lee
19 July 2020
A former manager at oil giant BP, Clarence Chang Peng Hong, 55, was found guilty on Thursday of receiving US$3.95 million in bribes from Koh Seng Lee on 19 occasions between July 2006 to July 2010, in exchange for advancing the business interests of Koh’s company with BP, a district judge has ruled.
Koh, 58, had separately also corruptly agreed to pay S$500,000 to a pre-school – Mindchamps – which Chang’s wife is a director of.
Chang and Koh were found guilty of 20 corruption charges each on Thursday, following a trial spanning two years.
Koh had set up marine fuel trading company, Pacific Prime Trading (PPT), based on Chang’s suggestion. Chang would use his position in BP Singapore to advance PPT’s interest, in return for a “share” of PPT’s profits.
During the trial, defense counsels for the two men argued that the funds transfers between the two were for joint investments in property and in Mindchamps, and were wholly unrelated to PPT’s business with BP Singapore. However, District Judge Ong Chin Rhu said in court on Thursday that the accounts of joint investments are an “afterthought”.
Both are out on bail of S$200,000 each, and will be back in court on Sept 7 for their sentencing.
Business Times reported.
