11 men charged with illegal sale of marine gas oil
Two Brightoil Petroleum seafarers conspired to sell some 45 metric tonnes of marine gas oil worth S$17,426 to nine individuals, who were on board a tugboat off Bedok Jetty (pictured). Photo: Google Map
SINGAPORE — For allegedly trying to steal and sell marine gas oil worth over S$17,000, 11 Indonesian men — aged between 23 and 45 — were charged in court with criminal breach of trust on Wednesday (Feb 7).
Among those charged were two Brightoil Petroleum seafarers Sapidi, 44, and Robby Lirpa Sugiharto, 34, who worked onboard the Singapore-registered vessel Brightoil 326.
Court documents stated that at about 3am on Monday (Feb 5), both men conspired to sell some 45 metric tonnes of marine gas oil worth S$17,426 to nine individuals, who were on board a tugboat off Bedok Jetty. Police investigations revealed that the alleged sale involved 200 metric tonnes of marine gas oil worth an estimated S$97,000.
The other nine men involved in the case are Stenlly Kart Baule, 38, Yun Beriel, 41, Stendlee Ambat, 23, Herslag, 45, Anomarin Mangerongkoda, 26, Kiki Sarki Lintongan, 30, Jelli Daniel Lumantow, 34, Emriko Sikape, 32, and Franner Virty Einstein Sabaru, 28.
No further details on the men were available in court documents, but the police said the tugboat has been seized for investigations. TODAY understands the vessel was registered in Lesotho, a kingdom in southern Africa.
All 11 suspects will be remanded for a week to assist in investigations, and will appear in court again on Feb 14. If found guilty of criminal breach of trust, they can be jailed up to 15 years and fined.
This is the second case of marine oil theft in a month. Last month, 20 people were arrested for alleged involvement in a multi-million dollar fuel heist from Shell Singapore's plant in Pulau Bukom.
Among the 14 men who have been charged in court are eight Singaporeans who were employees of Shell when the alleged crime was committed. <
