Vibrant CEO charged over allegedly pushing ex-KTL chairman down stairs

SINGAPORE (THE BUSINESS TIMES) - The chief executive of mainboard-listed logistics company Vibrant Group, Khua Kian Keong, is facing a charge in court after allegedly pushing the former chairman of KTL Global down some stairs.

According to a charge sheet seen by The Business Times, the alleged incident took place on Jan 13, 2021, at the staircase leading from level two to level one of 7 Gul Road. Khua, 52, who was charged in the Singapore State Courts in January, was alleged to have pushed Mr Tan Tock Han. Mr Tan fractured his right shoulder.

Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority filings list 7 Gul Road as the registered address of KTL Offshore. The company has a director named Tan Tock Han, who was also previously the executive chairman of mainboard-listed KTL Global, until he resigned in December 2018.

Under Section 338(a) of the Penal Code, causing grievous hurt to any person by a rash act that endangers human life or the personal safety of others is punishable with imprisonment of up to four years, or a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.

Khua, who has been granted bail of $10,000, has been chief executive of Vibrant since November 2003.

According to Vibrant's website, Khua is also a council member of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) and vice-chairman of the Singapore-China Business Association.

The case was mentioned in the Singapore State Courts on Wednesday morning (March 17). Lawyers Jennifer Lim and Lee Shu Xian of Infinitus Law Corp, representing the victim, also turned up to hold a watching brief.

They sought clarification about whether there was any direction under the bail terms to not allow the accused to come into contact with the victim or his family.

Mr Tan, who is in his 70s, is the father of former KTL Global chief executive Wilson Tan Kheng Yeow.

Khua's defence counsel, Mr Nichol Yeo of Solitaire LLP, noted that the bail condition was to not contact the victim either directly or indirectly, with no expressed mention of the family.

The case was adjourned to April 7, pending clarification on a medical report. Mr Yeo said he was also seeking a document from the SCCCI in relation to a complaint lodged, as he was trying to address certain inconsistencies between the complaint and the facts of the alleged offence before finalising representations to the prosecution.

In a statement on Wednesday night, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) said that it has formed a committee to investigate the allegations against Khua and suspended him from his position as SCCCI council member pending the outcome of the criminal proceeding.

"The Chamber takes a serious view of its members' conduct and behaviour so that the good reputation and interests of the Chamber are upheld," SCCCI said.

Vibrant Group shares closed unchanged at 10.6 cents on Wednesday.