Brompton Bikes Case: NParks officer will not be taking the stand in his own defence

Bernard Lim (centre) with his lawyers, Mr Lawrence Ang (left) and Mr Eric Tin at the sub courts on March 12, 2014. -- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI
Bernard Lim (centre) with his lawyers, Mr Lawrence Ang (left) and Mr Eric Tin at the sub courts on March 12, 2014. -- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI

The National Parks Board officer behind last year's Brompton bike procurement fiasco has chosen not to testify in court, after previously indicating that he would take the stand.

Defence counsel Lawrence Ang told the court on Tuesday that his client Bernard Lim Yong Soon had reconsidered his options and wished to remain silent, and that the defence would not be calling any witnesses.

On hearing this, District Judge Marvin Bay concluded the trial and gave the defence and prosecution until May 15 to exchange their submissions for the case. Both parties will then have another week to respond to the submissions, with the next mention on May 29. The court's verdict is expected to be delivered then.

Lim faces two counts of providing false information to officers from the Ministry of National Development (MND) who were conducting an internal audit into NParks' purchase of the 26 Brompton bikes in 2012. The charges alleged that this caused the auditors to omit looking into the relationship between Lim and Mr Lawrence Lim Chun How, director of Bikehop Singapore, the company which won the tender to supply the bikes.

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