Man charged with cheating Tampines Town Council over water pump replacements, allegedly billed more that $380,000 for 'significantly cheaper' items
Zhang Shuyan allegedly deceived the town council into overpaying for vertical multi-stage pumps, when cheaper single-stage pumps had been installed instead.
SINGAPORE - A Singaporean man who allegedly deceived Tampines Town Council into overpaying for water pump replacements was charged with two counts of cheating on Wednesday (13 March). He had allegedly billed the town council more than $380,000 with regards to the replacements when cheaper pumps had instead been installed.
Local media CNA reported that 58-year-old Zhang Shuyan allegedly submitted 206 invoices to bill the town council between April 2016 and July 2017. At the time of the alleged offences, Zhang was a director of FHY Integrated, a contractor engaged by Tampines Town Council to perform pump maintenance works for the estate.
CNA reported that the town council had paid $195,264 to FYH from 1 April to 31 December 2016 after Zhang submitted 102 invoices, and a further $185,286 to the company from 1 January to 31 July 2017 after receiving another 104 invoices.
According to court documents, Zhang had allegedly tricked the town council into believing that FHY had installed vertical multi-stage pumps, when instead, vertical single-stage pumps were installed.
An earlier police statement on Tuesday said that single-stage pumps were "significantly cheaper" than their multi-stage counterparts.
There were no details about how the offences were discovered, or how much Tampines Town Council overpaid Zhang, who gave no indication in court of how he would plead.
His next court appearance is on 3 April, and he was offered bail of $50,000. If convicted of cheating, he faces up to 10 years' jail and a fine.
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