Singapore brings bribery charges against bunker trader and bunker fuel supplier

Written by Nick Blenkey
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Singapore CPIB says it looks into all corruption complaints and reports, including anonymous ones.

The Singapore Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau reports that yesterday two men were charged in court for allegedly obtaining and giving gratifications in relation to the trading and supplying of bunker fuel.

The two are named as:

  • Muhammad Afzal Bin Mohamed Ekbar (Afza), a 34-year-old male Singaporean who was a bunker trader of KPI Bridge Oil Singapore Pte Ltd at the material time; and
  • Mohammad Shafiq Bin Nezammuddin (Shafiq), a 32-year-old male Singaporean who was a director of Straits Bunkering Pte Ltd at the material time.

Between June 2017 and August 2018, says CPIB, Afzal allegedly obtained gratifications totaling at least US$191,250 from Shafiq on multiple occasions as rewards for nominating Straits for the supply of bunker fuel to KPI’s customers. Afzal had also allegedly obtained a gratification in the form of a S$90,000 (about US$67,000) loan from Shafiq as an inducement for the same purpose.

Afzal and Shafiq will each face three charges for offenses punishable under Section 6(a) and Section 6(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act respectively, of which two charges are amalgamated under Section 124(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

In addition, says CPIB, between July 2017 and September 2018, Afzal had allegedly given gratifications totaling at least US $161,800 and S$5,000 (about US$3,750( combined to other individuals on multiple occasions as inducements or rewards for them to place orders with KPI for the supply of bunker fuel. For his actions, Afzal will face nine additional charges for offenses punishable under Section 5(b)(i) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, of which four charges are amalgamated under Section 124(4) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

CPIB says that any person who is convicted of a corruption offense can be fined up to S$100,000 (about US$75,000) or sentenced to imprisonment for up to five years, or both.

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