Accident scam: Man faces 53 more charges

Fifty-three more charges were piled on a car workshop owner yesterday over an alleged road accident scam, bringing the total number he faces to 81.

Sollihin Anhar, 41, allegedly schemed with others to cheat insurance companies into processing claims for staged accidents between 2011 and last year. They allegedly defrauded insurance companies such as Liberty, SHC, Tokio Marine, China Taiping, AXA and NTUC Income. He is listed as a co-director of Partners Automotive, a car repair firm registered in July 2012, according to Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority records.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Hon Yi said the total amount involved in all the charges is about $729,000. The total amount disbursed by insurance companies is about $79,000.

Among the fresh charges are two for giving false information to the police on Dec 8, 2011, and on Feb 11 the following year.

DPP Hon sought an increase in Sollihin's current bail amount of $70,000. Sollihin's lawyer Thangavelu objected and asked instead that the court extend his client's bail. He said the $78,860 paid out to claims involved many people in a conspiracy, not Sollihin alone.

District Judge Eddy Tham increased Sollihin's bail amount of $70,000 by another $10,000, and gave him until tomorrow to raise it. A pre-trial conference is set for Sept 5.

This article was first published on August 14, 2014.
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