The Criminalisation of Corporate Negligence: A Critical Analysis of Public Prosecutor v Zheng Jia [2025] SGHC 76

The Singapore High Court’s decision in Public Prosecutor v Zheng Jia represents a watershed moment in the criminalisation of directors’ duties, fundamentally reshaping the landscape of corporate criminal liability in Singapore. The case establishes a new sentencing framework for breaches of the statutory duty of reasonable diligence under section 157(1) of the Companies Act, departing significantly from the established precedent in Abdul Ghani bin Tahir v Public Prosecutor. This case comment critically examines the court’s reasoning, evaluates the implications of the new sentencing framework, and considers its broader ramifications for corporate governance and the regulation of professional nominee directors.