SINGAPORE: A former managing director of a company
that sells aviation spare parts and equipment was jailed eight
weeks Thursday for bribing a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) captain
in exchange for confidential information on military
projects.
Fifty-eight-year-old Richard Yow Wah pleaded guilty
to two charges of corruptly giving gratifications amounting to more
than S$53,000 to 31-year-old Phua Poh Sim.
Three other similar charges were taken into
consideration.
Phua, who was convicted and jailed earlier this year for accepting
the bribe, was working in research and development projects with
the SAF.
Court documents revealed that Phua had a gambling addiction and had
chalked up debts of about S$100,000 at casinos onboard cruise
ships.
Phua was later introduced by his colleague to Yow, who had earlier
expressed an interest in wanting to know SAF personnel dealing in
procurement.
Yow, who was the MD of Certified Aerospace Singapore, believed the
information could help him in his business.
He agreed to give Phua the money after Phua revealed that he was
involved in projects of interest to Yow's business.
Between May and August 2008, Phua made several trips to Yow's house
at Brighton Road to pass Yow confidential information.
In exchange, he received between S$1,700 to S$28,000 each
time.
The court heard that Yow, a father-of-two, did not place tenders
for any military project despite having the confidential
information.
He could have been jailed a maximum of five years and fined
S$100,000 on each charge.
- CNA/cc