Former Citiraya CEO investigated for 150 offences denied access to lawyer as embezzlement probe continues

SINGAPORE: A judge on Wednesday (Dec 18) ordered Ng Teck Lee, the former CEO of Citiraya Industries, to be remanded for investigations without access to his lawyer for a third week.

The prosecutor who made the application acknowledged that being held for 21 days without access to counsel was longer than typical, but cited the unusual circumstances of the case.

Ng and his wife Thor Chwee Hwa were on the run for 19 years in connection to an embezzlement case involving more than S$72 million (US$53 million). 

They were arrested in Malaysia on Dec 3, given holding charges in Singapore the following day, and have been held in custody since then.

Ng, 58, is accused of instructing Citiraya employees not to crush electronic scrap that was entrusted to him as CEO and president of the company, but to repackage and export the scrap instead.

The court heard that he is being investigated for 150 offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Penal Code and Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act.

Thor, 55, allegedly assisted her husband to retain the benefits of criminal conduct.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Shaun Lim said that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) had finished initial investigations into Thor’s alleged offences.

He applied for Thor to be remanded without bail while having access to her lawyer and family visits, arguing that she posed a very serious flight risk.

Apart from having absconded in the past, Thor held overseas assets amounting to about S$440,000 and the couple were found with fake identity documents when they were arrested, he said.

The couple’s defence lawyer Mr Aristotle Eng did not object, and the judge granted the application in respect of Thor.

Mr Lim applied for Ng to be remanded for a third time to assist with investigations, and for him not to have access to his lawyer during this period.

Updating on progress in the case, he said that investigators had taken five statements from Ng, but had yet to finish taking statements for his alleged offences involving criminal benefits.

The prosecutor argued that it was important that CPIB be able to record statements from Ng without him being advised by his lawyer.

Mr Lim also added that investigations had been delayed by other complicating factors, such as medical problems Ng had while in custody.

The prosecutor stressed the unusual circumstances of the case, including the number of alleged offences and the fact that investigations were taking place after a time gap of about 20 years, due to the couple’s abscondment.

Mr Eng objected to the prosecution’s application and asked the judge to give him access to his client.

He cited the case of convicted money-launderer Vang Shui Ming, in which he said a judge found that giving a suspect access to counsel and family visits was a way of mitigating the adverse effects of further remand.

Mr Eng said that Vang had about S$200 million in assets while Ng’s alleged offences amounted to S$72 million, and argued that his client’s case was less egregious.

Mr Lim countered that S$72 million was still a large enough amount for the “utmost care” to be taken in investigations, which he stressed were at the preliminary stage, with CPIB still recording initial statements.

District Judge Brenda Tan noted that if it appears likely that further evidence may be obtained by a suspect being in custody, the court may remand a suspect for not more than eight days at a time.

She said this threshold had been met based on the information provided by the prosecution in respect of Ng.

Granting the prosecution’s application, Judge Tan said that right to counsel was not an immediate right, and that at this stage, it was fair to let investigators proceed uninterrupted.

However, she said the prosecution would need to provide stronger reasons to continue denying Ng access to his lawyer in any subsequent period of remand.

Ng’s next court mention was scheduled for Dec 24, while Thor will return to court on Feb 7, 2025.