On 12 January 2022, a 45-year-old male Singaporean, Eng Chin Yew (“Eng”), was sentenced to 11 months’ imprisonment, $4,800 fine and two years of disqualification from driving all classes of vehicles, for his involvement in the following offences:
- One count of engaging in a conspiracy with Ong Ka Li (“Ong”) to cheat under Section 420 read with Section 116 of the Penal Code;
- One count of engaging in a conspiracy with Ong to cheat by personation under Section 419 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code;
- One count of engaging in a conspiracy with Ong to provide false information to a public servant under Section 182 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code;
- One count of permitting Ong to drive a vehicle without a valid driving licence under Section 35(2) of the Road Traffic Act (“RTA”);
- One count of permitting Ong to drive a vehicle without the required insurance coverage under Section 3(2) of the Motor Vehicles (3rd Party Risks & Compensation) Act (“MVA”);
- One count of driving while under suspension under Section 47(5) of the RTA; and
- One count of driving a vehicle without the required insurance coverage under Section 3(1) of the MVA.
Eng had pleaded guilty to these charges on 29 November 2021 and consented for four other charges to be taken into consideration for sentencing. He is the last accused person in this motor insurance fraud conspiracy to be dealt with. The mastermind for the motor insurance fraud was Ong, who had passed away on 5 July 2020 while the cases against him were on-going in court.
Eng pleaded guilty to having conspired with Ong by providing his driving licence and the vehicles for Ong to drive and stage two separate road traffic accidents. The first staged accident was on 30 June 2017, along Sembawang Road, where Ong had deliberately collided into the rear of another vehicle, whose driver was also recruited by Ong.
In the second staged accident, Ong had deliberately collided into the rear of a vehicle, which was reversing out from a parking space at Horne Road on 17 July 2017. Ong, who did not possess any valid driving licence, had then used Eng’s driving licence to exchange particulars with the other driver, so as to deceive the other driver into believing that he was Eng. Under Ong’s direction, Eng then lodged a police report on 20 December 2017 to falsely state himself as the driver and that he was, at the material time, conveying three passengers. In this manner, Eng had facilitated Ong’s submission of fraudulent motor insurance claims for property damages and injuries amounting to almost $30,000.
Three other accomplices of Ong have since been convicted and sentenced. Their sentences are as follows:
Jimmy Tan Teck Heng (“Jimmy”) – Participant & Recruiter
Jimmy, a 43-year-old Singaporean, was convicted on 30 January 2020 and sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment for pleading guilty to one count of engaging in a conspiracy to cheat under Section 420 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code, and two counts of engaging in a conspiracy to cheat under Section 420 read with Section 116 of the Penal Code. Four other charges under the Penal Code were taken into consideration for sentencing. Jimmy was recruited by Ong and had assisted to recruit five others to be phantom passengers for fraudulent personal injury claims for the staged accident on 30 June 2017 along Sembawang Road. Jimmy also took part in the said staged accident by driving and allowing his vehicle to be collided by Ong’s vehicle. In this manner, Jimmy facilitated the submission of fraudulent motor insurance claims amounting to almost $67,000.
Tan Khim Lian (“Tan”) – Participant & Recruiter
Tan, a 66-year-old Singaporean, was convicted on 13 November 2020 and was sentenced to 11 months’ imprisonment for pleading guilty to two counts of engaging in a conspiracy to cheat under Section 420 read with Section 116 of the Penal Code, and one count of abetment to give false information to a public servant under Section 182 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code. Six other charges under the Penal Code and Betting Act were taken into consideration for sentencing. Tan was recruited by Ong and allowed Ong to submit fraudulent personal injury claims for him and five others, whom he had recruited, as purported passengers in the first and second staged accidents respectively on 30 June 2017 and on 17 July 2017. In this manner, Tan facilitated the submission of fraudulent motor insurance claims amounting to more than $43,000.
Choo Kok Seng (“Choo”) – Participant
Tan, a 44-year-old Singaporean, was convicted on 8 October 2020 and was sentenced to 21 weeks’ imprisonment for pleading guilty to one count of engaging in a conspiracy to cheat under Section 420 read with Section 116 of the Penal Code, one count of conspiring to give false information under Section 182 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code and one count of attempting to intentionally obstruct the course of justice under Section 204A(b) read with Section 511(1) of the Penal Code. One other charge under the Penal Code was taken into consideration for sentencing. Choo was recruited by Ong, and allowed Ong to submit fraudulent personal injury claims for him in respect of the first staged accident on 30 June 2017. In this manner, Choo facilitated the submission of fraudulent motor insurance claims amounting to approximately $14,000.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
12 January 2022 @ 5:05 PM