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Ex-LTA deputy group director charged with corruption, cheating offences involving almost $2 million

Former Deputy Group Director with the Land Transport Authority Foo Yung Thye, Henry, who was charged in court for corruption. (Photo: Screencap from video))
Former Deputy Group Director with the Land Transport Authority Foo Yung Thye, Henry, who was charged in court for corruption. (Photo: Screencap from video))

SINGAPORE — A former Land Transport Authority (LTA) deputy group director was charged on Friday (24 July) with receiving bribes in the form of loans from contractors and sub-contractors worth more than $1.24 million between 2014 and 2019.

Apart from the 23 charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), Henry Foo Yung Thye, 46, was also charged with 13 counts of cheating his LTA colleagues into extending loans worth about $726,500 to him, by hiding the fact that the loans were intended to service his gambling habit and debts.

Foo appeared in court without a lawyer and said that he would plead guilty to the charges under the PCA. The judge has fixed bail at $250,000 and set a pre-trial conference for 20 August.

Foo was previously director of the Thomson Line (Civil Team 3) and had received a Public Administration Medal (Bronze) in 2013, according to online records of National Day Award recipients maintained by the Prime Minister’s Office.

In reply to queries from Yahoo News Singapore, an LTA spokesperson said, “A former employee of the Land Transport Authority (LTA), Mr Henry Foo Yung Thye, was charged in court today for corruption and fraud.

“As the case is now before court, we are unable to comment on the matter.”

Another seven other individuals linked to Foo’s offences were charged under the PCA as well. They are Cai Jungang, 56; Zhang Xihu, 52; Pay Teow Heng, 52; Pek Lian Guan, 55; Ro Sungyoung, 48; Kim Young-Gyu, 52; and Chen Xuguang, 53. The Singapore branch of China Railway Tunnel Group (CRTG) was also charged.

The details of the charges are as follows:

Cai Jungang
The Chinese national was the Director of Tritech Engineering & Testing (Singapore) at the time of the alleged offences and is accused of giving gratification in the form of loans worth some $285,000 to Foo, to advance the business interest of his company with the LTA. He faces seven charges under the PCA.

Zhang Xihu
The Singaporean was the Director of MEPT Engineering and is accused of given gratification in the form of loans worth $325,000 to Foo to advance the business interest of his firm with LTA. He faces seven charges under the PCA.

Pay Teow Heng and Pek Lian Guan
Pay and Pek, both Singaporeans, were the Director and Managing Director respectively of Tiong Seng Contractors at the time of the alleged offences. Both are said to have conspired to give gratification in the form of loans valued at some $350,000 to Foo to advance the business interest of their company with LTA. Each faces two charges under the PCA.

Ro Sungyoung and Kim Young-Gyu
Ro and Kim, both citizens of the Republic of Korea, are the Project Manager and Project Director of Daewoo Engineering & Construction at the time when they are said to have corruptly given loans worth $50,000 to Foo, in order to advance the firm’s business interest with LTA. Each faces two charges under the PCA.

China Railway Tunnel Group
The company is alleged to have corruptly given gratification in the form of loans worth $220,000 to Foo to advance its business interests with the LTA. The company faces three charges under the PCA.

Chen Xuguang
Chen, a Singaporean, was the Director of Tong Sheng Construction & Trading, which is a subcontractor of China Railway Tunnel Group. Chen is accused of abetting the falsifications of Tong Sheng invoices in relation to payments from CRTG. He faces two counts of falsification of accounts.

For all these eight accused parties, the judge has set pre-trial conferences for 20 August.

Any person convicted of a corruption offence may be jailed up to five years, or fined up to $100,000, or both.

The maximum jail term for an offence of corruption can be increased to seven years if it is in relation to a matter or contract with the government or public body, or a subcontract to execute work comprised in such contract.

An offence of cheating, or falsification of accounts, carries a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.

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