A FORMER accounts manager with StarHub was sentenced to 24 months on Thursday for forging documents to get free cellphones.

Tang Han Chiang, 35, pleaded guilty earlier in April to six charges of forgery to requisite mobile phones purportedly for corporate customers.

In all, he misappropriated 211 mobile phones worth almost $159,000 between January 2004 and April 2005.

Only six phones worth $4,628 have been recovered. He paid back $12,751.

He gave away the rest to his friends and family members.

Bail of $40,000 was allowed pending his appeal against sentence.

A Community Court heard that as an accounts manager, he could recommend and give out complimentary mobile phone sets to existing and potential corporate customers of Starhub.

Each time, he had to fill up a material stock requisition form with details of, among other things, the number and type of phones and delivery instructions.

In January 2004, he illegally obtained company cellphones by either forging the signature of his supervisor on the form or increase the number of sets after it had been signed.

Tang's lawyer Ranvir Kumar Singh said the father of two was suffering from a major depressive disorder at the time of the offences.