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Ex-BP director charged with taking S$6.1m in bribes

SINGAPORE — A former director of BP Singapore was hauled to court on Thursday (March 9) for taking bribes amounting to S$6.1 million — believed to be the largest sum of bribes pocketed by an individual here in the last 10 years.

SINGAPORE — A former director of BP Singapore was hauled to court on Thursday (March 9) for taking bribes amounting to S$6.1 million — believed to be the largest sum of bribes pocketed by an individual here in the last 10 years.

Clarence Chang Peng Hong faces 47 charges, including 19 counts of obtaining bribes and one count of accepting a bribe from Mr Koh Seng Lee, the executive director of Pacific Prime Trading (PPT), a petroleum and petroleum products wholesaler.

Between July 2006 and July 2010, Chang, 51, allegedly obtained US$3.95 million (S$5.61 million) from Mr Koh as an inducement for advancing the business interests of PPT with BP.

Before September 2009, Chang was also said to have agreed to accept S$500,000 for a similar reason. He was holding the title of Eastern Regional Director for Marine Fuels in BP then.

Chang, also faces 16 counts of transferring S$4.68 million from his HSBC account in Hong Kong to three local bank accounts with POSB Bank Singapore and HSBC Singapore. 

This took place between January 2007 and March 2010.

The monies were used to buy three private landed properties in Da Silva Lane in Hougang, Jalan Limau Purut in Bedok and Ettrick Terrace in Siglap, and two condominiums in Pasir Ris, according to charge sheets. These property transactions amounted to S$3.97 million.

A final charge of using S$111,000 in bribes to acquire share capital in Mindchamps Preschool at City Square was brought against Chang. 

No plea has been taken, and Chang returns to court on April 6. If convicted, he could be fined up to S$100,000, jailed a maximum of five years, or both, for each charge of graft.

The charges for transferring corrupt proceeds under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act each carry a maximum punishment of S$500,000 fine and seven years’ jail. In a statement, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said that it takes a serious view of any corrupt practices and will not hesitate to take action against any party involved in such acts.

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