In yet another bribery scandal to befall Keppel, seven people were charged with corruption on Oct 14 in a case linked to Keppel Corporation subsidiary Keppel FELS.
See: Keppel O&M sanctioned 17 current, former employees over Brazil bribery case: document and Keppel O&M fined US$422 mil as part of resolution over bribes for contracts by ex-agent Skornicki
According to CNA, the people involved are Alvin Lim Wee Lun, Goh Ngak Eng, Rajavikraman Jayapandian, as well as subcontractors Titan Offshore Equipment director U Keh Choon, director of Spectrama Marine & Industrial Supplies Stanley Goh Sheng Li, Fatkullah Tiap, the managing director of Growa FE and Ong Tun Chai.
Lim, who was working as a facilities manager at Keppel FELS, was charged with 46 counts of conspiring with other individuals to obtain bribes to advance the business interests of subcontractors, along with Goh Ngak Eng and Rajavikraman Jayapandian, a director at Megamarine Services and a project director from Rotary Offshore Solutions respectively.
A spokesperson from Keppel FELS has clarified that Lim was dismissed from the company in 2019 for breaching the company's code of conduct.
"We have extended our full cooperation to the authorities, and are unable to comment further as court proceedings are ongoing," he says.
See also: ZICO Capital will no longer sponsor Sinocloud after Feb 25
"We take a serious view of any corrupt act and will not tolerate any employee conduct that is illegal. All employees of the Keppel Group are required to abide by the Keppel Code of Conduct, which prohibits, among others, bribery and corruption," he adds.
Lim, Goh Ngak Eng and Rajavikraman each face 46 counts of abetment as they are alleged to have conspired with one another to obtain $879,900 in bribes from the three subcontractors U, Stanley Goh and Fatkullah.
The offences were said to take place between 2014 and 2017, according to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).
See also: Samsung gets first woman CEO outside founding family in 86 years
Of the subcontractors, U faces seven counts of bribery amounting to $196,700, Stanley Goh has been charged with 21 counts of bribery amounting to $190,900 and Fatkullah is alleged to have paid 18 bribes amounting to $492,300.
Ong, the seventh individual, who received $15,100 from Goh Ngak Eng for falsifying invoices, was charged with 10 counts of accepting gratification and 20 counts of falsifying papers belonging to a logistics company and issuing them to Growa and Titan.
Goh Ngak Eng also faces 10 counts of giving gratification to Ong.
He and Rajavikraman are also involved in three illegal transactions amounting to S$7,000 in relation to a marine equipment manufacturer.
Lim, Goh Ngak Eng and Rajavikraman are set to reappear in court on Nov 11, according to The Straits Times.
Ong is due to appear in court again on Nov 4.
U and Fatkullah will appear in court on Nov 13.
To stay ahead of Singapore and the region’s corporate and economic trends, click here for Latest Section
According to CNA, Stanley Goh intends to plead guilty, and will do so when he attends his next court session on Nov 13.
“Singapore adopts a strict zero-tolerance approach towards corruption,” says CPIB.
"Companies are strongly advised to put in place robust procedures in areas such as procurement and internal audit to prevent falling victim to corrupt acts by their employees."
Anyone found to be guilty of corruption can be fined up to $100,000, jailed up to five years, or both.
As at 12.44pm, shares in Keppel Corporation are trading 4 cents lower or 0.9% down, at $4.50.
See also: Keppel Corp's wholly-owned subsidiary divests interest in Thailand's Business Online Public Company for $36 mil and Has Keppel Corp bottomed?
