Asia/Pacific News
Singapore Bunker Trader Sentenced to 8 Months in Jail
A Singapore court has sentenced former bunker trader Chua Boon Chye to eight months in jail for stealing marine fuel oil, Platts reports.
Chua was serving as managing director of Aegean Bunkering (Singapore) Pte Ltd when the incident took place on October 29, 2007, and he was charged in April of 2012.
Chua had been charged with "instigating" bunker clerk Thet Lwin to dishonestly receive 105 metric tonnes of fuel valued at S$69,106.70 ($55,409.79) that had been stolen from Chevron Singapore Pte Ltd.
The court said it considered the impact of such offenses on the Singapore bunker trade and the city's reputation.
It also said that, while Chua did not gain financially from the deception, the offense helped him to show good results to his employer by saving on costs.
Other individuals involved in the case were also sentenced to between six to eight months imprisonment, and the court said Chua should receive a similar punishment.
Defence lawyers had argued that Chua could not be guilty of "receiving stolen property" since he was not on board the barge when the fuel was received.
The defence says it will file an appeal.
Singapore has said it is cracking down on bunker fraud to avoid developing a bad reputation among ship operators.
