S. Iswaran, Ex-Singapore Minister sentenced 12-Month
Jail Term in Uncommon Corruption Trial
Los Angeles/Oct 03, 2024
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh
S. Iswaran stepped down in January after being formally charged with receiving gifts worth more than $300,000. On Thursday, the former Singaporean minister was sentenced to 12 months in prison for obstructing justice and accepting unlawful gifts, marking the city-state’s first major political corruption trial in almost five decades.
The ex-transport minister, known for bringing Formula One to Singapore, was charged with 35 mostly corruption-related offenses this year, in a country renowned for its low levels of corruption.
Iswaran’s sentence was harsher than the six-to-seven months the prosecution had requested. High Court Justice Vincent Hoong deemed that sentence "manifestly inadequate" given the case’s potential impact on public confidence.
"Trust and confidence in public institutions are essential for effective governance, and can be undermined when public servants fail to meet the necessary standards of integrity and accountability," Justice Hoong said during sentencing.
Iswaran was convicted last week of obstructing justice and accepting illegal gifts, though prosecutors only proceeded with five lesser charges, some linked to a billionaire property developer. His defense team requested his sentence start on October 7, as reported by local media. The court instructed Iswaran, 62, to turn himself in by 4 pm (0800 GMT) at the State Court that day.
Among the gifts Iswaran received were luxury flights, bottles of whiskey, and golf equipment. In his resignation letter, he maintained his intention to clear his name in court. He has since returned around $295,000 in illicit gains to the government, with gifts such as a Brompton bicycle also confiscated, according to the attorney general’s office.
The charges against him include obstruction of justice, tied to efforts to prevent authorities from investigating a business class flight funded by Malaysian hotel magnate Ong Beng Seng, one of Singapore’s wealthiest men. Other charges involved gifts from Ong and construction company executive Lum Kok Seng, including whiskey and golf clubs. Neither businessman has faced legal consequences so far.
The attorney general’s office stated that a decision on Ong's case would be made soon, without mentioning Lum.
Iswaran’s charges were filed under a rarely invoked law that prohibits public officials from accepting valuable items from people they interact with professionally.
This trial is seen as a notable political event in Singapore's recent history, with the potential to impact the ruling People's Action Party as general elections are expected by November next year.
News Source: Click Here
|
