Indian-origin Singaporean charged over corruption

Singapore: A 55-year-old Indian-origin Singaporean woman who was employed by the US Navy as a lead contract specialist in Singapore has been charged in court on Thursday over corruption and money-laundering offences involving over USD 70,000.

Gursharan Kaur Sharon Rachel faces seven counts of corruption involving 103,278.24 Singapore dollars (USD 73,208) in form of cash and paid accommodation in luxury hotels, reported Channel News Asia (CNA).

Between November 2006 and August 2011, Gursharan stayed in as many as five luxury hotels, with her accommodation paid for by Leonard Glenn Francis, the CEO of Glenn Defence Marine (Asia), as a reward for providing him with non-public US Navy information.

Gursharan also allegedly accepted bribes totalling 100,000 Singaporean dollars in cash from Francis, the report said.

In December 2008, Gursharan is said to have accepted a bribe of 50,000 Singapore dollars in cash, which she used to pay for a Prudential Prusave Limited Pay policy.

In April 2009, she again accepted another 50,000 Singapore dollars which she used to pay for the down payment for a condominium at Double Bay Residences in Singapore.

For the two instances in which she used the bribes to pay for the policy and the condominium, Gursharan faces two charges under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act.

She faces up to seven years' jail, a fine of up to 500,000 Singapore dollars per charge, or both.

As for the seven charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act for corruptly obtaining gratification in the form of cash and paid accommodation in luxury hotels, Gursharan faces up to five years' jail, a fine of up to SGD 100,000 per charge, or both, said the report.