Daily Express Subscriber
Sign in to your account.

SINGAPORE: A 53-year-old man was charged in court on Thursday (Dec 30) for allegedly abetting a former company director to cheat several banks.

Simon Peter Sim was charged with five counts of cheating, for allegedly abetting Russian national Koryagin Vadim to cheat DBS, OCBC and Maybank Singapore between June 2014 and July 2016.

Vadim, the former director of MEA Business Solutions, was on Sep 8 sentenced to four weeks’ jail for conspiring with several individuals to cheat multiple banks by making false declarations about the beneficial owners of several firms.

Vadim has appealed against his conviction and sentence.

According to a news release from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), Sim in May 2016 allegedly abetted Vadim to cheat DBS into believing that a certain company had no nominee shareholder. This resulted in DBS opening a bank account for this company without information on the nominee shareholder, which was likely to cause harm to the bank’s reputation, said CPIB. Additionally, between June 2014 and July 2016, Sim allegedly abetted Vadim to cheat DBS, OCBC and Maybank Singapore by concealing information on the ownership of three companies, said CPIB.

Any person who is convicted of a cheating offence faces up to three years’ jail, a fine, or both. And, increased penalties for motorists who evade roadblocks and enhanced powers for police officers will come into force from Jan 1 next year.

The amendments to the Police Force Act were passed in Parliament on Aug 3, and the provisions will enhance the Singapore Police Force’s (SPF) operational capabilities and readiness, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday (Dec 30).

They will also strengthen the SPF’s disciplinary, administrative and human resources processes, MHA added.

From Jan 1, 2022, motorists who evade roadblocks will face increased penalties. It will also cover more modes of roadblock evasion other than physical dash through. Those who evade roadblocks may be sentenced to up to seven years’ jail and fined up to S$10,000. This is more than the current maximum jail term of 12 months and a maximum fine of S$5,000.

The increased penalties ensure that deterrence against such offences “remains effective”, said MHA.

Police officers’ existing powers to erect barriers and cordons to control human traffic will be made explicit, it added. Failing to comply with a police officer’s instructions not to cross such barriers and cordons will also be made an offence.

olice officers will be equipped with the “necessary powers and protections”, such as the power to enter any place in case of medical emergency to protect people from injury or death, said MHA.