Ex-MD jailed for bribing SAF captain
By Alvina Soh | Posted: 01 December 2011 1813 hrs
Businessman Yow Wah alias Richard was jailed for eight weeks on Thursday for corruptly giving bribes in the form of cash loans to an army captain. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
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.
Richard Yow Wah, 58, pleaded guilty to two charges of corruptly giving gratifications amounting to more than S$53,000 to Phua Poh Sim, 31.
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 managing director 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 and 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
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