Property group Lee Kim Tah reaches settlement with ex-director in ongoing misconduct probe

[SINGAPORE] Singapore-based property and real estate group Lee Kim Tah (LKT) has reached a settlement with a former director it had sued.

It said that the former director, Edmund Cheah, will now cooperate in ongoing investigations into L&W Construction, a subsidiary of an Indian construction joint venture (JV) owned equally by LKT and Woh Hup Group.

The group previously alleged in court that former CapitaLand employees in India had accepted bribes and kickbacks from L&W in exchange for business favours on projects in Pune, India.

In a media release on Tuesday (May 26), LKT said it had entered into the settlement with Cheah on May 18.

Under the terms of the settlement, he will assist and cooperate with LKT and its advisers in ongoing investigations into transactions, governance and financial matters relating to LKT-Woh Hup (LKT-WH), L&W and their subsidiaries.

The cooperation covers matters involving shareholders, shareholder-appointed directors, officers and representatives, including their conduct and involvement in relation to the relevant entities.

In May 2025, LKT commenced proceedings in the Singapore High Court against Cheah, alleging breaches of fiduciary duties and duties of fidelity. Cheah had served as a director of L&W and was responsible for safeguarding LKT’s interests in the JV.

The group alleged that Cheah permitted, or was complicit in permitting, L&W’s former managing director, Asaithambi Manickam, to cause the company to enter into related-party transactions that were detrimental to its interests.

It also alleged that Cheah failed to disclose such transactions to LKT.

LKT said that its investigations and related legal processes are ongoing, and Cheah’s cooperation is expected to support its governance audit and help corroborate information already obtained.

Mark Lee, LKT’s group deputy CEO and chief operating officer, said: “With Cheah’s agreement to provide full and frank cooperation, LKT would be in a better position to further ascertain the circumstances in which Manickam was able to carry out the alleged misconduct over an extended period.”

He added that the cooperation would also assist LKT in establishing “the knowledge, involvement and conduct of relevant parties connected to LKT-WH and L&W”.

LKT reiterated that it remains fully committed to conducting business with the “highest ethical standards and integrity”, and has a zero-tolerance policy towards unethical, fraudulent and wrongful conduct.