Man gave over $17k in bribes to then Sats employee
A manager at an electrical work provider gave bribes totalling $17,325 to a technical supervisor at Sats, a ground-handling and in-flight catering service provider at Changi Airport.
Choo Chin Chuan, 67, who was employed at AT Services at the time of the offences, gave the money to Lim Koon Chuan, so that AT Services would be invited to quote for jobs offered by Sats.
Choo committed the offences on 13 occasions in 2016 and 2017.
On Monday, he was fined $56,000 after he pleaded guilty to two corruption charges involving $7,000. Other charges linked to the remaining amount were considered during sentencing.
Lim, then 59, who worked at Sats from 1982 to 2017, was sentenced to 15 months’ jail in August 2020.
The prosecution said that Sats periodically awards a custodian contract for the maintenance, repair and minor works relating to mechanical as well as electrical services at places such as its airfreight terminals 1 to 6.
Sats also engaged other contractors for ad-hoc jobs involving the general repair and maintenance of its air freight terminals.
Lim was responsible for approaching such contractors and ensuring their work was carried out properly.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Stacey Ann Fernandez said Choo’s wife was the registered owner of AT Services at the time of the offences.
A check with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority reveals that Choo is a director at three other firms – LKS Services, Max Consolidator Services and YNC.
The DPP said: “After AT Services performed its first job at Sats via another main contractor, Lim observed that AT Services was able to perform the job well and asked the accused if AT Services was interested to take up more jobs with Sats in the future.
“The accused told Lim that he was interested. Lim then told the accused that if there were any jobs in the future, Lim would invite the accused to quote for the job.”
A few months later, Choo told Lim that he was interested to quote for jobs. Lim then told Choo that his “boss is asking”.
Choo understood this to mean that Lim was asking him for money as an inducement to invite AT Services for jobs.
He handed Lim $7,000 in 2017. AT Services was later awarded several jobs, including the installation of seven fans at air freight terminals 3 and 4. The job was valued at $131,700.
In late 2017, Lim returned $10,000 to Choo. Choo believed Lim decided to do so as Lim had been reported for the corrupt transactions. He did not question Lim about the amount and took the $10,000, said the DPP.
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