The National Parks Board (NParks) assistant director behind the controversial purchase of 26 Brompton bicycles has been charged with providing false information to government officials.

Bernard Lim Yong Soon, 42, allegedly told Ministry of National Development (MND) officials that he did not have a personal relationship with Lawrence Lim Chun How, a director of BikeHop Singapore that won the contract to supply NParks with Brompton bikes.

Bernard Lim was also charged in a district court on Thursday morning with abetting Lawrence Lim to lie about their friendship to MND officials conducting an internal audit on the tender.

The NParks' purchase of 26 Brompton bikes for $2,200 each from BikeHop came under scrutiny for irregularities in the tender process. The MND suspended Lim and referred the case to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau last July. His case will be heard again on Sept 27. Those guilty of providing false information to a public servant face up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.