Ex-director of marine company charged for alleged offences linked to Shell Bukom heist

THE ex-managing director of Sentek Marine and Trading, Pai Keng Pheng, was charged in court on Wednesday (Aug 3) for alleged offences linked to the acquisition of marine gasoil that had been taken from Shell’s facility at Pulau Bukom.

In a press statement, the Singapore Police said that Sentek had allegedly acquired around 118,131 metric tonnes of marine gasoil – worth some US$56 million – which had been “dishonestly misappropriated” from Shell Eastern Petroleum’s facility at Pulau Bukom and loaded onboard Sentek’s vessels.

This took place between Aug 2014 and Jan 2018, and was allegedly done with Pai’s consent while he was the managing director of Sentek.

Pai had earlier been charged with 30 charges of corruptly giving gratification under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and 10 charges of obstructing the course of justice under the Penal Code.

He faces an additional 42 charges of “consenting to Sentek’s acquisition of property representing another person’s benefits from criminal conduct”. These charges are for offences under under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA), and carry an imprisonment term of up to 10 years, or a fine of up to S$500,000, or both.

Pai also faces an additional charge for abetting the obstruction of the course of justice, for allegedly instigating Pai Kheng Hian to instruct a witness to provide false information to investigators.