Silvester Legal is pleased to announce a significant victory for our client, Mr. Deniyal Bin Kamis, in the long- standing legal dispute against Mr. Niew Bock Leng and the companies Mapo Engineering Pte Ltd (“MEPL”) and Mapo Marine Pte Ltd (“MMPL”). This case revolved around minority oppression under section 216 of the Companies Act.
Key Developments:
- Initial Judgment (July 2023): The General Division of the High Court found in favour of Mr. Deniyal, ruling that he had been unfairly oppressed as a minority shareholder. The Court awarded him S$636,408.28 in compensation for director’s fees and dividends that had been wrongfully rerouted by Mr. Niew between 2008 and 2012. Additionally, Mr. Deniyal was awarded S$240,000 in legal costs and S$42,828.92 in disbursements. The court also ordered Mr. Niew to purchase Mr. Deniyal’s shares in MEPL and MMPL at
full value. - Appeal Outcome (July 2024): Both parties appealed the initial judgment. The Appellate Division of the High Court upheld the judgment in favour of Mr. Deniyal and dismissed Mr. Niew’s appeal. The court further awarded Mr. Deniyal an additional $$280,000 in compensation, recognising that director’s fees rerouted in 2006 and 2007 had not been accounted for in the initial ruling. Mr. Niew was also ordered to pay an additional S$45,000 in legal costs.
- Share Valuation: A court-appointed valuer, Mr. Adie Gupta of Spring Galaxy, assessed the value of Mr. Deniyal’s shares in MEPL and MMPL. As a result, Mr. Niew was ordered to purchase these shares for S$1,198,819.
Total Compensation:
In total, Mr. Deniyal secured S$2,443,056.20, which includes the judgment amounts, legal costs, disbursements, and the valuation of his shares.
This victory is a testament to Silvester Legal’s expertise in handling complex commercial disputes and our commitment to achieving just and favourable outcomes for our clients. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the legal team led by Walter Silvester, Walter Alexander, Jerial Tan, Tristan Silvester and Madeline Yu for their dedication and exceptional representation in this case.
