SINGAPORE — A manager was convicted for his involvement in selling unsafe building cladding, linked to a deadly fire in Singapore and the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in London, which killed over 70 people in 2017. Despite being aware that the fire-safety certification for the aluminium composite panels had been revoked, Phua Chia Ping Benny, 45, continued selling the materials to subcontractors involved in three separate construction projects.

Phua, serving as the sales and marketing manager for his family-run firm Chip Soon Aluminium, was found guilty of five counts of cheating. The company had supplied cladding panels to various contractors despite knowing that their certification, a legal fire-safety requirement, was terminated in April 2013. Phua’s actions came under scrutiny following a fatal fire at the CIT Building in Singapore, which led to a thorough investigation by local authorities.

The panels, whose certification was revoked after they failed critical fire safety tests, were sold between April and June of the same year. Chip Soon Aluminium profited over S$200,000 from these sales. Investigations revealed that Phua concealed the fact that these panels were no longer certified, leading to potential fire hazards in the buildings where they were installed. The incident came to light after the May 2017 fire in Singapore, which tragically took the life of a 54-year-old woman.

In a court hearing on Tuesday (Sept 10), the prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Shamini Joseph, pushed for a sentence of up to 40 months of imprisonment for Phua, citing the severity of his offenses and the risk posed to public safety. DPP Joseph pointed out that Phua’s deception undermined the fire safety regulations intended to protect the public, and that his actions had far-reaching consequences, as demonstrated by the tragic fires in both Singapore and London.

Phua’s trial, which was presided over by District Judge Christopher Goh, concluded with the judge convicting Phua on all charges of cheating. The court heard how Phua’s deceitful actions enabled the continued sale and installation of the dangerous cladding. In one instance, Chip Soon Aluminium supplied 259 panels to the Toh Guan Road building, where the fire later occurred.

DPP Joseph argued that Phua’s actions were driven by financial greed, as he continued to sell the panels despite knowing the risks and the terminated certification. She noted that Phua had displayed little remorse throughout the trial, attempting to deflect blame onto other parties, including the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the PSB Corporation, which had originally issued the certifications.

Phua’s defense attorney, Mr. Favian Kang of Adelphi Law Chambers, argued for leniency, claiming that Phua was not personally motivated by financial gain and that he was merely an employee of the company, not a director or shareholder. Mr. Kang also pointed out that the company itself had used the panels in its own buildings, indicating no intent to harm. He further emphasized that the risks associated with aluminium composite panels were publicly known, and that Phua’s actions did not directly conceal this information.

The court also heard expert testimony regarding the nature of aluminium composite panels, with both prosecution and defense experts agreeing that even certified panels can be a fire hazard under certain conditions. Mr. Kang argued that the risks inherent to the panels should not be held solely against Phua.

In her closing argument, DPP Joseph reiterated the potential danger Phua had placed the public in by selling non-compliant panels, emphasizing the need for a strong sentence to serve as a deterrent.

Phua is expected to return to court for sentencing on Sept 30. If convicted of cheating, he could face up to 10 years in prison per charge, as well as fines.