Former Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) chief Ng Boon Gay continued to insist on his third day in court that he did not know Cecilia Sue’s company was involved in the IT contract CNB had awarded.

Local television Channel News Asia (CNA) reported that the 46-year-old Ng is accused of forcing former IT sales executive Ms Sue to perform oral sex on him in exchange for helping to further her employers’ business interests.

Ng maintained throughout the trial that he did not know ‘HDS’ meant ‘Hitachi Data Systems’. HDS was one of Sue’s former employers.

CNA reported Ng told the court on Tuesday that he had approved a pre-procurement paper that had the letters ‘HDS’.

However, he said he did not know at that point in time that the acronym referred to Hitachi Data Systems.

This prompted the prosecution to ask Ng yesterday how it was possible for him and Sue to have a three-year-long affair without her using the term ‘HDS’.

He also denied knowing Sue’s involvement in the projects that were approved by him.

Sue had previously testified in court saying she told Ng that she managed to get a discount for CNB with regard to a project she was working on, and added that Ng had thanked her.

Ng said that he could neither recall nor confirm whether the conversation took place.

The prosecution also argued that there was an ‘actual’ conflict of interest when Ng approved IT contracts that involved the firm Sue had worked for.

Ng however dismissed the notion, saying that Sue’s employer was only a sub-vendor at that time.

The prosecution then countered saying that by the second tender Ng had full knowledge that Hitachi was involved in the project and hence, Sue as well. Yet Ng did not recuse himself from the approval process.

Ng then insisted that there was no conflict of interest and thus, no reason to excuse himself.

The defence told the court at the end of the hearing that they would be calling Sharon Yen from Oracle to testify as their last witness.

CNA said this is expected to take place tomorrow. The trial continues.

- Bernama