KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 — The former chief executive officer of a major glove-manufacturing company WRP Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd has been charged with criminal breach of trust (CBT) and making false claims, altogether involving RM140.25 million.
The Edge reported today that Datuk Lee Son Hong was charged in the Sessions Court in Shah Alam for eight counts of CBT involving RM131.85 million and three counts of making false claims involving RM8.4 million.
Lee’s wife Datin Too Sooi Keng was also charged with abetting her husband in the CBT offences.
Both Lee and his wife claimed trial before Sessions Court Judge Rozilah Salleh.
Rozilah eventually set bail for Lee and Too at RM1.5 million with one surety, as well as ordering them to surrender their passports. The judge fixed January 4, 2021 for the case mention.
Lawyers Datuk D. Senthinathan, Nur Aminahtul Mardiah Md Nor, PG Cyril and Yallini Munusamy represented Lee and Too, while the prosecution was represented by Deputy Public Prosecutors Ahmad Akram Gharib and Mohd Mukhzany Fariz Mohd Mokhtar.
Lee’s charging in court is the latest in a series of conflicts which began last year when WRP Asia Pacific’s products ended up being banned in the United States amid accusations the rubber gloves were manufactured using forced labour.
The company board’s lawyer Thomas Philip had claimed in January that WRP Asia Pacific had been mismanaged by Lee during his tenure as CEO, adding that Lee refused to be held accountable to the board concerning the company’s state of affairs, among others.
Lee subsequently responded to Philip’s allegations via his lawyers, claiming that among other things he had pledged both his wife and his own personal guarantee to secure financing for WRP Asia Pacific.
Lee’s lawyers also stated their client had made advances of approximately RM10 million to support the operation of the company, which it said is still due and owing to him.
