The founder of a top Singaporean bunkering firm involved in the large-scale theft of marine gas oil from Shell has been handed 43 fresh charges.
Former Sentek Marine managing director Pai Keng Pheng was last week charged in court with offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA).
Between August 2014 and January 2018, Sentek had allegedly acquired around 118,131 tonnes of marine gasoil, valued at about $56m, which had been dishonestly misappropriated from Shell Eastern Petroleum’s facility at Pulau Bukom and loaded on board Sentek vessels allegedly with Pai’s consent, according to a statement from the Singapore Police Force.
He had earlier been charged with 30 charges of corruptly giving gratification under Section 5(b)(i) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and 10 charges of obstructing the course of justice under Section 204A of the Penal Code in October last year.
He now faces an additional 42 charges of consenting to Sentek’s acquisition of property representing another person’s benefits from criminal conduct, which charges are for offences under Section 47(3) read with Section 59(1)(a) of the CDSA, and punishable under Section 47(6)(a) of the CDSA.
Pai also faces an extra charge of abetting the obstruction of the course of justice under Section 204A read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, for allegedly instigating one Pai Kheng Hian to instruct a witness to give false information to investigators.
If he is convicted under the CDSA, Pai Keng Pheng faces imprisonment for up to 10 years, or a fine of up to $500,000, or both.
An offence under Section 204A read with Section 109 of the Penal Code carries a prison term of up to seven years, or fine, or both.
Sentek was listed as Singapore’s second-largest bunker supplier by volume in 2019, according to the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore.
More than 20 people have now been charged in connection with the massive theft, including not only former Shell employees but also those of bunker tanker operators and surveying companies.
The prosecution of many of the accused continues. Several have already been found guilty and given hefty prison sentences.
