AMKTC trial: Former GM's mistress repaid half of an alleged S $ 20,000 bribe, says defense

SINGAPORE: A S $ 20,000 bribe allegedly received by a town council general manager for his mistress to spend on home renovation, the defense revealed on Thursday (Nov 15).

The goal of the counsel was Melanie Ho said S $ 10,000 was later returned in April 2016.

This alleged bribe is one of 54 corruption charges faced by Ang Mo Kio Town Council (AMKTC) general manager Victor Wong Chee Meng.

Chia's two firms, 19-ANC Enterprise and 19-NS2 Enterprise, did works for the town council.

READ: AMKTC trial: I told director remitting money to train town council GM's mistress was 'risky', says witness

The sum of the S $ 20,000 sum during the cross-examination of the prosecution's prime witness, subcontractor Tay Eng Chuan. Mr Tay worked for Chia and claimed he witnessed "dishonest" dealings that he thought to be bribery.

Ms Ho, who acts for Wong, sought to show that Mr Tay did not have full knowledge or personal knowledge of what happened.

She asked Mr Tay if it would still be in his mind if Wong's mistress Xu Hongmei had repaid the S $ 20,000, either partially or in full.

Replying through a Mandarin interpreter, Mr Tay said: "Well, if it's going to be full-bribery, I think it would not be bribery. Instead, this would be a loan. "

Wong, who was sitting in the dock, nodded.

Ms Ho said: "In fact on Apr 28 (2016), there was a return of S $ 10,000 to Chia. Were you aware of that? "

"I do not have such a record nor do I have such an impression," Mr Tay answered.

"Precisely. You do not know about that, "Ms Ho said.

CHIA'S SON WORKED FOR AMKTC

The defence went on to question Mr Tay about two other events. One involved Chia's role in securing a job for Wong's daughter-in-law Stella.

Mr Tay had previously described his discomfort over the matter.

AMKTC trial: Witness describes his increasing discomfort over 'dishonest' dealings

When questioned if he knew that Stella said Mr Tay said he was not sure.

Chia's had been looking for a job, said Ms Ho, and she asked Mr Tay if he knew that Chia had asked for some time in 2015 about any job openings.

Mr Tay said he did not know.

Ms Ho revealed that Chia's sound, "through information of the job opening from Wong, and through the proper process, was appointed one of the property officers for AMKTC".

"I only knew that he was working as a property officer when he started working there," said Mr Tay.

According to Ms Ho, Chia's was a property officer at AMKTC from August 2015 to end-2016.

READ: AMKTC trial: Director accused of bribery threatened to report to CPIB, says witness

Turning back to the issue of a job for Wong's daughter-in-law, Ms Ho asked Mr Tay to share with the court how he felt about the matter.

"This is simple," Mr Tay answered. "This started with Alisa (19-ANC project director and 19-NS2 director) telling that Victor's daughter-in-law wants to come and work at ANC, and Alisa said Short period of time, Chia replied to her interview at 4-Ever Engineering (the company she worked at 19-NS2 paid her salary). "

"If this is done through proper channels, there will be a need for such a job, so it is this question mark in my head," said Mr Tay.

He then agreed with Ms Ho that Stella did turn up for work at 4-Ever, and that from Stella's and Wong's perspectives, there was nothing wrong with any of it, as Wong did not know about the arrangement.

WITNESS QUESTIONED OVER WONG'S USE OF PHONE

A third issue raised by the defense was the use of a phone that Mr Tay had said to be given to Wong to use.

According to Mr Tay's earlier evidence, Chia had asked for a message that the latter would not find out about his mistress and girlfriend.

Mr Tay said that it was Wong 's the one using the phone, and that the monthly phone bills reflected in China where Wong' s mistress was from.

The defense claimed both Chia and Wong had used the phone to contact people when they went to China. Chia had a supplier in China who provided incense burners, among other things, for Chia's work with town councils.

In response, Mr Tay said: "I do not have this concept. I'm not sure. "

"And when Ms Xu is in Singapore, it is Hongmei who is using the phone on occasions, not Wong," Ms Ho continued. "Were you aware of that? You see, when Hongmei is in Singapore, Victor does not have to call her because she's in Singapore. So the phone is slow to Hongmei for her to make calls. "

Mr Tay said he was not sure.

The trial resumes on Friday, with Mr Tay on the stand.