Pair accused of graft acquitted; judge finds CPIB statements 'unreliable'

A district judge acquitted two men accused of graft-related offences linked to a former Land Transport Authority (LTA) deputy group director on Oct 11, after finding the statements taken by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) “inaccurate and unreliable”.

- Shaffiq Alkhatib

Mr Pay Teow Heng, 56, was accused of giving Henry Foo Yung Thye bribes in the form of loans totalling $350,000 in 2017 and 2018.

Mr Pay was a director at construction firm Tiong Seng Contractors (TSC) at that time, and allegedly did so to advance the business interest of TSC with LTA.

Mr Pek Lian Guan, 59, then TSC's managing director, was accused of intentionally aiding Mr Pay in giving the bribes.

The prosecution said that LTA had engaged TSC to construct an MRT station under a contract initially valued at $315 million, adding that Mr Pay was Foo's counterpart in the contract.

In September 2021, Foo, then 47, was sentenced to 51/2 years' jail for taking about $1.24 million in bribes in the form of loans from several contractors and subcontractors.

In his verdict dated Oct 11, District Judge Soh Tze Bian noted that investigating officer (IO) Tan Kiat Tat, also known as IO Jeffrey, admitted during the trial that he tried to “frame” Mr Pek when drafting his first statement.

“This choice of words suggests an intention to portray Pek in a manner that could imply guilt rather than providing an impartial and objective account of the interview,” the judge added.

Meanwhile, a second CPIB officer, IO Chris Lim, “had a blatant disregard for the truth” when recording Mr Pay’s second CPIB statement.