Vermont UM Bunkering Directors plan to defend claims from Hong Kong firms
- Published
by Admin
The Directors of Singapore-based Vermont UM Bunkering (Vermont) are planning to defend claims set out by two Hong Kong companies at the High Court of the Republic of Singapore against Vermont, according to a document obtained by Manifold Times.
Goldsland Holdings Company Limited and Hong Kong Sin Hua Development Co., Ltd. are both seeking claims from Vermont at the Singapore court, it said.
Lawyers representing Poh Fu Tek and Koh Seng Lee are planning to make an application at the court under section 216A of the Companies Act (Cap. 50) for the duo to be granted leave to defend the respective claims on behalf of their company.
Section 216A of the Companies Act (Cap. 50) allows any member of a company “to apply to the Court for leave to bring an action or arbitration in the name and on behalf of the company or intervene in an action or arbitration to which the company is a party for the purpose of prosecuting, defending or discontinuing the action or arbitration on behalf of the company,” according to Singapore Statutes Online.
Poh and Koh in November 2017 were both charged by Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) for cheating and criminal breach of trust offences under the Penal Code.
Koh, also the sole shareholder and executive director of Pacific Prime Trading (PPT), is currently involved in a separate trial involving former BP Singapore Regional Marine Manager Clarence Chang and BP Singapore at the State Courts of Singapore.
MPA on April 2016 revoked the bunker supplier and bunker craft operator licences of Vermont Bunkering due to discrepancies and wrongful declarations in the records kept on board their bunker tankers.
Related: Singapore-based Vermont UM Bunkering directors, staff charged for fraud
Related: Goldsland Holdings moves in to secure US $22 million from Vermont UM Bunkering
Related: BP Singapore bunker trial: Prosecution and Defence present submissions (Part 2)
Other related: Bank seeks $38 million from arrested Singapore bunker tankers
Other related: Singapore: Four bunker tankers arrested
Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 22 February, 2019
