SINGAPORE: The founder of failed oil trading firm Hin Leong Trading, 84-year-old Lim Oon Kuin, had his jail term cut by four years after a partially successful appeal against his conviction and sentence in a criminal case.
The High Court on Wednesday (Mar 4) rejected his appeal against conviction but allowed his appeal against his sentence of 17-and-a-half years. Justice Hoo Sheau Peng said this sentence, when considering his age and the fact he was unlikely to reoffend, was crushing, even with remission.
She reduced it to 13-and-a-half years. Lim, who is better known as OK Lim, listened to proceedings via a Mandarin interpreter in a wheelchair, with his eyes closed.
Justice Hoo rejected submissions by the defence, led by Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, that judicial mercy ought to be exercised in this case, with reference to the case of Mr Ong Beng Seng.
She found the analogy drawn by the defence to be “misguided” and said Lim’s case was not an exceptional one to warrant judicial mercy as Mr Ong’s was. The prisons have noted his fall risk and will make the necessary arrangements for him in jail, Justice Hoo said.
Mr Singh successfully asked for four weeks’ adjournment for Lim to consider the written judgment and for a medical appointment for Lim as he sustained a fall late last year and now has difficulty focusing visually.
Lim remains on bail of S$2 million until then, furnished by his wife.
