Asia/Pacific News
Defence Speaks for Accused in Singapore Stolen Bunkers Case
Lawyers for Aegean Bunkering (Singapore) Pte Ltd former managing director Chua Boon Chye have told a Singapore court that Chua was not guilty of receiving stolen property, Platts reports.
Chua was charged over an incident on October 28, 2007 in which he allegedly told bunker clerk Thet Lwin to receive 105 metric tonnes (mt) of bunkers worth S$69,106.70 ($55,409.79) that belonged to Chevron Singapore Pte Ltd even though Chua "had reason to be believe the said marine fuel to be stolen property."
The defence lawyers said in their closing remarks that evidence showed Chua was not on board the bunker barge when the fuel was allegedly received and therefore could not be guilty of the "receiving stolen property" charge.
They also said that Chua's job involved sourcing fuel but not receiving it physically or getting a commission for the bunker fuel transaction.
The judge said the final judgement in the case, which had originally been due Tuesday, will now be given on November 13, 2013.
Carsten Ostenfeldt, chairman of the Singapore Shipping Association's technical committee, recently said that Singapore is cracking down on bunker fraud.
