VETERAN lawyer was sentenced to three months in jail yesterday for his role in a cashback property scam.

A VETERAN lawyer was sentenced to three months in jail yesterday for his role in a cashback property scam.

Bachoo Mohan Singh, a lawyer for more than 30 years, is appealing against the conviction and sentence and is out on bail of $125,000.

Singh, 59, had been convicted in a district court on June 30 for helping a Housing Board flat owner make a false declaration three years ago.

Although the agreed selling price for Mr Koh Sia Kang’s five-room Redhill flat was $390,000, it was inflated by $100,000 so as to secure a higher bank loan for the buyer.

In such scams, the cash difference between the actual and declared price is either kept by the buyer or split with the seller.

Singh was found out as a result of the sale falling through. He had acted for Mr Koh, 53, a taxi driver, who sued the buyers, claiming he was cheated of money in the transaction.

Mr Koh also sued property agent Kereen Teo Pei Pei, 28, who was fined $8,000 last year for trying to cheat DBS Bank by inflating the price.

Her manager was similarly fined.

Mr Koh has not been charged with any offence.

Singh did not display any emotion when sentence was passed. About 10 family members and friends were in court.

When convicting Singh in June, District Judge Bala Reddy had said that when Mr Koh proceeded to make the false $490,000 claim against the couple, Singh continued to act for him in the suit and thus abused the judicial process.

Source : Straits Times - 19 Sep 2007