A WOMAN whose company was the managing agent for various condominiums was sentenced to six years on Tuesday for forgery involving about $1 million.
Chua Geok Hiang, 51, had admitted to 33 out of a total of 263 charges last month.
She was given until Friday to start her sentence to sort out some family matters.
The prosecution went on 32 charges of forgery and one of misappropriating $1,060.
The mother of one was a shareholder and officially an accounts executive of Estaland Property Associate, which managed condominiums such as Cardiff Court, Laurel Park, Parisian and Winfield Mansion.
Estaland was wound up in May 2007.
The court heard that between 2004 and 2007, Chua made fraudulent alterations to bank cheques by changing the payees' names to Estaland.
During police investigation, her three bank accounts were placed on hold and the money seized.
The total recovered was $242,536.
The remaining 230 charges were considered during her sentencing.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Der Lim had asked for a deterrent sentence last month, citing the large number of offences and the huge amount involved.
'This is a case of abuse of position of trust. She has breached the trust of four MCST,'' he said.
Her lawyer, Mr D. Daniel, said his client had a history of depression.
He said she could not make full restitution because she had gambled away the money but clarified that she did not commit the forgeries because of her gambling habit.
District Judge Liew Thiam Leng sentenced her to between three and 10 months on each of the forgery charges.
He ordered 11 charges to run consecutively, making a total of 72 months.
Chua could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined on each forgery charge. For criminal breach of trust she could have been jailed for up to three years or fined or both.
