NParks assistant director behind Brompton bikes controversy charged

NParks assistant director behind Brompton bikes controversy charged

SINGAPORE - The National Parks Board (NParks) assistant director behind the controversial purchase of 26 Brompton bicycles has been charged with providing false information to government officials.

Bernard Lim Yong Soon, 42, allegedly told Ministry of National Development (MND) officials that he did not have a personal relationship with Lawrence Lim Chun How, a director of BikeHop Singapore that won the contract to supply NParks with Brompton bikes.

Bernard Lim was also charged in a district court on Thursday morning with abetting Lawrence Lim to lie about their friendship to MND officials conducting an internal audit on the tender.

The NParks' purchase of 26 Brompton bikes for $2,200 each from BikeHop came under scrutiny for irregularities in the tender process. The MND suspended Lim and referred the case to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau last July. His case will be heard again on Sept 27. Those guilty of providing false information to a public servant face up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.


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[[nid:38274]]Here is the press release from CPIB:

In July 2012, Ministry of National Development (MND) had referred to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) the findings of their internal audit of the procurement of the 26 Brompton bicycles by National Parks Board (NParks) and requested CPIB to look into whether there were any criminal wrong doings in relation to the purchase. 

The accused, Lim Yong Soon Bernard (“Bernard”), an assistant director of NParks was subsequently investigated by the CPIB.

The accused will be charged in court on 29 August 2013 for one count of knowingly giving false information to public servants under Section 182 of the Penal Code.

He will also face one count of knowingly abetting by instigation, one Lawrence Lim Chun How, a Director of Bikehop Singapore P rivate Limited, to commit the offence of giving false information to public servants under Section 182 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code.

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