A day after former transport minister S. Iswaran was sentenced to jail, billionaire Ong Beng Seng has been charged in connection with the same case.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) announced in a press release on Friday (4 Oct) that Ong, 78, faces two charges under the Penal Code 1871.
Source: @InsightMV on Twitter
Ong has been accused of abetting Iswaran in obtaining two flights and accommodation in Doha, Qatar, valued at S$20,848.03.
According to the AGC, this was provided by Ong himself, with no consideration in return — a violation of Section 165 read with Section 109 of the Penal Code.
Under Section 165, it is an offence for a public servant to accept anything of value from someone they are involved with in an official capacity, without payment or with inadequate payment.
Court documents cited by The Straits Times (ST) revealed that in December 2022, Ong offered Iswaran a trip from Singapore to Doha on his private plane, valued at US$7,700 (S$10,400).
The tycoon also arranged for a one-night stay at the Four Seasons Hotel in Doha, worth US$4,737.63 (S$6,176), and a business class flight from Doha to Singapore, priced at US$5,700 (S$7,431).
Those convicted of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts face up to two years in prison and/or a fine.
Ong was further charged with abetting Iswaran to obstruct justice — an offence under Section 204A(a) read with Section 109.
Source: Singapore Statutes Online
According to court documents, Ong had informed Iswaran that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) had seized the flight manifest for the Doha trip, prompting Iswaran to request Ong bill him for the flight.
Between 18 and 25 May 2023, Ong allegedly instructed that the Doha-Singapore flight be billed to Iswaran, who subsequently paid the amount to the Singapore Grand Prix, of which Ong is chairman. The flight had been paid for by the company.
Abetting obstruction of justice carries a potential jail term of up to seven years and/or a fine.
The charges against Ong correspond to two of the charges to which Iswaran pleaded guilty on 24 Sept, the AGC said.
Ong will not be charged for his involvement in the other charges that Iswaran faced, it added, stating:
In arriving at this decision, the prosecution considered all the relevant facts and circumstances of the case, including the role that Ong played in each of the transactions.
The AGC cannot make further comments as the matter is now before the court.
Ong turned up in court on Friday, surrounded by journalists and accompanied by his lawyer, Mr Aaron Lee from Allen & Gledhill.
Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
Mr Lee requested a six-week adjournment to allow more time to take instructions from his client. The case was adjourned to 15 Nov.
Another individual linked to the Iswaran case, Mr Lum Kok Seng, will not face charges, the AGC said in its press release.
Iswaran was also accused of obtaining valuable items from Mr Lum, who is managing director of property management, interior design and construction company Lum Chang Holdings.
He was alleged to have given items worth a total of S$19,000, such as bottles of whisky, golf clubs and a Brompton bicycle, to the then-minister.
Also read: Billionaire Ong Beng Seng Is A Tycoon With Connections, Clinched F1 Deal Before CPIB Probe
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News on Facebook.
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