Ex-minister Iswaran's case: Ong Beng Seng pleads guilty to abetting obstruction of justice, seeks judicial mercy, Singapore News
The 79-year-old admitted to one charge of abetting Iswaran in obstructing the course of justice by helping the latter pay $5,700 to Singapore GP for a business class flight ticket from Doha to Singapore.
Another second charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts was taken into consideration for sentencing.
The prosecution had, in court, noted that the defence had asked that the court impose a fine on Ong on the grounds of judicial mercy.
Judicial mercy is when the courts give leniency in the sentencing of offenders with exceptional personal circumstances. It has been exercised in cases where an offender has terminal illness, or dire medical conditions that endanger their life if they were to be imprisoned.
Ong suffers from multiple myeloma, a rare type of bone marrow cancer.
He had earlier arrived at the State Courts amid the gloom of a rainy Monday morning (August 4), to plead guilty to a charge related to Iswaran's case.
The Malaysian, widely known for bringing the Formula 1 night race to Singapore in 2008, arrived just before 9am, and walked into the State Courts building with the help of his staff and lawyers.
Ong, wearing a white shirt and black mask, remained silent when approached by the media.
His hearing was scheduled for 9.30am.
Members of the media were seen braving the rain outside the State Courts earlier this morning, awaiting Ong's arrival.
Ong is represented by Senior Counsel Cavinder Bull and Adam Maniam from Drew & Napier, and Senior Counsel Jason Chan, Lee Bik Wei and Cheryl Chong from Allen & Gledhill.
The prosecution is represented by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Christopher Ong and Deputy Public Prosecutors Sarah Siaw, Kelvin Chong and Goh Qi Shuen.
Principal District Judge Lee Lit Cheng is overseeing the proceedings.
The hearing, however, was delayed for about 45 minutes after two false fire alarms disrupted the court proceeding. Charged with abetting a public servant
Ong was charged in October 2024 with abetting a public servant — then-minister Iswaran — in obtaining gifts, and abetting the obstruction of justice.
He was expected to plead guilty on August 4 to one count of abetting the obstruction of justice, with the charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts to be taken into consideration.
The billionaire has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer which is incurable.
Ong had earlier indicated he will plead guilty on April 2, but the hearing was later rescheduled to July 3.
It was pushed back again after prosecutors and Ong's lawyers asked for more time to file sentencing submissions, with pre-trial conferences held in July.
The former managing director of Hotel Properties Ltd has reportedly been out on $800,000 bail.
[[nid:720417]]
Ong is accused of instigating Iswaran to obtain a valuable item in December 2022 by offering to fly him to Doha on his private plane — a trip valued at $10,400.
He had gifted Iswaran a one-night stay in Four Seasons Hotel Doha, with a value of $4,737.63, and a business class flight from Doha to Singapore paid for by Singapore GP, valued at $5,700. The entire trip was worth about $20,850.
According to previous media reports, Ong allegedly alerted Iswaran that the Doha flight manifest had been seized by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau.
Ong allegedly abetted the obstruction of justice by aiding Iswaran to make a payment of $5,700, the cost of the business class flight ticket, to Singapore GP in May 2023.
Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months' jail in October 2024 after pleading guilty to receiving items as a public servant from Ong and David Lum, managing director of construction company Lum Chang Holdings, and the obstruction of justice.
He was placed on home detention on Feb 7, and finished his term on June 6, according to the Straits Times.
If convicted of abetting the obstruction of justice, Ong may face a jail term of up to seven years, or a fine, or both.
[[nid:703937]]
lim.kewei@asiaone.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Singapore Law Watch
6 hours ago
- Singapore Law Watch
Ong Beng Seng fined $30k in case linked to ex-minister Iswaran after judge cites judicial mercy
Ong Beng Seng fined $30k in case linked to ex-minister Iswaran after judge cites judicial mercy Source: Straits Times Article Date: 18 Aug 2025 Author: Nadine Chua & David Sun Prosecution, defence agreed Ong should have been jailed if not for his ill health. Billionaire property tycoon Ong Beng Seng was fined $30,000 on Aug 15 for abetting the obstruction of justice in a case linked to former transport minister S. Iswaran. Ong, 79, was handed the maximum fine the district court can impose after he had pleaded guilty on Aug 4. When Principal District Judge Lee Lit Cheng delivered the sentence, Ong looked ahead and did not react. After the hearing ended, he gave a thumbs up to one of his lawyers. Judge Lee agreed with the prosecution and defence that judicial mercy should be exercised in this case due to Ong's ill health. She said: 'Based on the clear and undisputed medical evidence before this court, the accused suffers from advanced multiple myeloma (an incurable cancer of plasma cells), and a sentence of imprisonment would carry a high and increased risk of endangering his life.' Judicial mercy is the discretionary power Singapore's courts have to give a more lenient sentence because of exceptional mitigating circumstances. Judge Lee noted the offences committed by Ong in this case were undoubtedly serious, as the charge he admitted to involved conduct likely to obstruct the course of justice. Ong's second charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts was taken into consideration during sentencing. Had Ong's medical condition been absent, the appropriate sentence would have been three months' jail, Judge Lee said. The prosecution had earlier acknowledged that while eight weeks' imprisonment would ordinarily be warranted in this case, it did not object to a fine for Ong as jail time would result in an increased risk of endangering his life. Ong's lawyer, Senior Counsel Cavinder Bull, had argued that his client's medical condition had destroyed parts of bone in his skeletal system. Ong was diagnosed with advanced multiple myeloma in 2020. Imprisoning him would thus dramatically increase life-threatening risks for him, said Mr Bull. On Aug 15, Ong arrived at the State Courts flanked by his lawyers and security team. It sparked a media frenzy, but Ong did not speak to reporters as he walked towards the entrance of the building. The hearing began at around 2.30pm and ended in 30 minutes, after which Ong was seen signing what appeared to be a cheque book. He left the State Courts at around 3.25pm without speaking to the media. Those convicted of abetment of obstruction of justice can be jailed for up to seven years, fined or both. Under the Criminal Procedure Code, the district court can impose a maximum fine of $30,000 for the offence. The offence In December 2022, Ong, credited with bringing Formula 1 racing to Singapore, asked Mr Iswaran if the then minister would like to join him on a trip to Qatar to watch the World Cup. Ong told Mr Iswaran he would be his guest, travelling on his private jet. The businessman added that he would take care of all of Mr Iswaran's expenses for the trip, including his hotel accommodation. Mr Iswaran accepted the offer. On Dec 10, 2022, he travelled to Doha, Qatar, on Ong's private jet, with the flight valued at around US$7,700 (S$10,410.40, as stated in court documents). Mr Iswaran checked into the Four Seasons Hotel, which cost $4,737.63 for a one-night stay. After one night in Doha, he returned to Singapore on a business-class flight valued at $5,700. Singapore GP – which Ong was the majority shareholder of – paid for the hotel stay and flight. How Ong's actions came to light In May 2023, while the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) was investigating a separate matter relating to Ong's associates, it came across the flight manifest of the outbound flight on Ong's private jet that Mr Iswaran took to Doha. On May 18, Ong was informed by his associates that CPIB had seized the flight manifest that had details of the Doha trip. Ong told Mr Iswaran about this over the phone. Mr Iswaran asked Ong to have Singapore GP bill him for the Doha trip, including the flight to Singapore on Dec 11, 2022. Ong agreed and had Singapore GP director Mok Chee Liang arrange the payment, and told Mr Mok to keep proper records of this. On May 24, 2023, Mr Mok e-mailed Mr Iswaran's personal assistant with an invoice for the flight from Doha to Singapore. Mr Iswaran then issued a cheque for $5,700 to Singapore GP, which the prosecution said had a tendency to obstruct the course of justice, as it made it less likely that he would be investigated by CPIB in relation to the Doha trip. The prosecution said Ong also knew that Mr Iswaran's act of paying for the flight from Doha to Singapore was likely to obstruct the course of justice. On Oct 3, 2024, Mr Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months' jail after he pleaded guilty to five charges, including four over obtaining valuable items as a public servant. Health conditions Ong's lawyers said he suffered from a 'devastating cocktail of medical problems'. These include: Advanced multiple myeloma, a cancer that affects white blood cells, which are crucial to the body's immune response. Ong was diagnosed in 2020. A hollowed-out spinal vertebrae caused by the cancer. A radiology photo of this was shown to the court. A metal rod inserted in the spine, which could become infected. 'Intractable and relentless' diarrhoea, which puts him at risk of hypotension and acute kidney injury. Peripheral vascular disease of both feet, with a non-healing toe wound that places him at risk of infection and gangrene. Risk of falls that could result in permanent disability or life-threatening injury. Why was Ong Beng Seng fined instead of jailed? Key points from the case Tycoon Ong Beng Seng would have been jailed for abetting the obstruction of justice in the case linked to former transport minister S. Iswaran, were it not for his medical condition. As Ong, 79, suffers from advanced multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer, imprisonment would risk endangering his life. So, on Aug 15, the court exercised judicial mercy and Principal District Judge Lee Lit Cheng handed him a fine of $30,000 which is the maximum the district court could impose for the offence. Here are the key points of her judgment. Should have been jailed Ong had abetted the obstruction of justice by Mr S. Iswaran in making payment of $5,700 for a business flight ticket for a Dec 11, 2022, flight from Doha to Singapore. This was done after the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau had seized a flight manifest for Ong's private jet. Judge Lee said this was undoubtedly serious. Ong's other charge, which was taken into consideration for sentencing, was for abetting Mr Iswaran, who was then a public servant, in obtaining gifts. These included a flight on Ong's private plane from Singapore to Doha worth about $10,400, a one-night stay in Four Seasons Hotel Doha worth about $4,700, and the $5,700 business class flight from Doha to Singapore. This offence also warranted condemnation, said Judge Lee, and ran the risk of damaging the trust and integrity of public institutions. The prosecution and defence had agreed that were it not for Ong's ill health, he should have been jailed. The judge noted that in Mr Iswaran's case, the High Court had found the appropriate starting sentence for the related obstruction of justice charge to be 18 weeks. But because Mr Iswaran had been the one to ask for the bill, Ong's culpability was lower. Judge Lee found the appropriate starting sentence would have been 15 weeks' jail. The prosecution previously submitted that, were it not for his ill health, 12 weeks' jail would have been appropriate if Ong had claimed trial, with a reduction to eight weeks' jail for an early plea of guilt. Character and contributions Judge Lee had also considered Ong's character and contributions to Singapore that were raised by the defence. The founder of Singapore-based organisation Hotel Properties Limited is known to have brought in Formula One (F1) to Singapore in 2008. The judge said his character and contributions, however significant, were at best a neutral factor in sentencing. She said they provided no basis for any reduction in sentence. Overseas trips Judge Lee said she also considered the two overseas trips Ong had taken in October-November 2024 and April-May 2025. She said both journeys were carefully managed to minimise health risks through private aviation, which significantly reduced exposure to infections compared with commercial travel. The second journey, which was to consult a professor in the United States, involved several stops along the way. Judge Lee said this demonstrated Ong's medical fragility and his inability to endure a direct flight, underscoring the gravity of his condition. She said: 'One may consider it unfair that an offender who can afford a higher standard of healthcare is better positioned to avoid imprisonment than a less privileged offender. 'This view is misguided and misconstrues the court's focus. The critical question is not whether an offender may receive a lower standard of healthcare in prison, but whether imprisonment would create heightened risks to the offender's life.' Judicial mercy The crux of her judgment was on how Ong's medical condition would affect the appropriate sentence, and whether judicial mercy should be exercised in this case. She noted it would be insufficient for an offender to merely show he was ill, and two things needed to be determined. The first was whether imprisonment would carry a high risk of endangering his life. The second was whether that risk would be significantly enhanced in prison. She concluded that the medical evidence showed that imprisonment would carry a high risk of endangering Ong's life, given his serious medical conditions. In particular, she noted his incurable cancer, vulnerability to infections and susceptibility to falls. She said: 'The risk of infections would increase significantly due to unavoidable interactions with rotating shifts of prison officers and medical staff, thereby expanding his exposure to potential pathogens. 'The risk of falls would likewise be significantly heightened, as the accused would face disorientation in an unfamiliar environment and different routines, without the assistance of his usual caregivers, who understand his specific needs.' Judge Lee said that while the Singapore Prison Service had an adequate healthcare system to manage inmates, this did not address the enhanced risks of potentially fatal infections and falls. In the event of an incident, his survival cannot be guaranteed, she noted. She said: 'I am satisfied that the circumstances in this case are exceptional and meet the high threshold for the grant of judicial mercy.' Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
New Paper
10 hours ago
- New Paper
Jail for man who tried to help childhood friend escape Singapore
A man who took pity on his childhood friend, who was under investigation for smuggling vapes into Singapore, decided to help him abscond home to Malaysia by hiding him in his lorry in June. But both men were caught by officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) during an inspection at Tuas Checkpoint. On Aug 18, Ahmad Naqib Adenauer, 34, was sentenced to six months' jail after pleading guilty to one charge of abetting a person in leaving Singapore. The court heard that Naqib, a Malaysian national, drove a lorry into Singapore on June 12. The purpose of his entry was not stated. While in Singapore, he was contacted by his childhood friend Mohammad Fakaruddin Mohd Rosli, 31, and he agreed to meet him in Geylang. When the pair met, Fakaruddin told Naqib that he was under investigation by the Health Sciences Authority and he was unable to leave the country as his passport had been impounded. He then pleaded with Naqib for help, claiming that he was homesick and wanted to return to Malaysia. The prosecution said that while Naqib initially refused, he later took pity on Fakaruddin and relented. On the same day, he asked Fakaruddin to hide in the cargo compartment of his lorry before heading towards Tuas Checkpoint to return to Malaysia. But their plan was foiled by ICA officers at the border checkpoint - after their vehicle was called out for inspection. The prosecution noted that Naqib did not plan to help Fakaruddin in exchange for any personal financial gain, but had rather taken pity on his long-time friend. Fakaruddin faces two charges of importing tobacco products into Singapore, among which were 8,400 pieces of vape pods, 4,430 pieces of disposable vapes, 350 boxes of vape devices and 1,150 vape cartridges. He also faces one charge of failing to produce his passport at the checkpoint when he was arrested along with Naqib. He will return to court on Sept 11.
Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Straits Times
Jail for man who tried to help childhood friend escape S'pore after his passport was impounded
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox On Aug 18, Ahmad Naqib Adenauer was sentenced to six months' jail after pleading guilty to one charge of abetting a person in leaving Singapore. SINGAPORE – A man who took pity on his childhood friend , who was under investigation for smuggling vapes into Singapore, decided to help him abscond home to Malaysia by hiding him in his lorry in June . But both men were caught by officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) during an inspection at Tuas Checkpoint . On Aug 18, Ahmad Naqib Adenauer, 34, was sentenced to six months' jail after pleading guilty to one charge of abetting a person in leaving Singapore. The court heard that Naqib, a Malaysian national, drove a lorry into Singapore on June 12. The purpose of his entry was not stated. While in Singapore, he was contacted by his childhood friend Mohammad Fakaruddin Mohd Rosli, 31, and he agreed to meet him in Geylang. When the pair met, Fakaruddin told Naqib that he was under investigation by the Health Sciences Authority and he was unable to leave the country as his passport had been impounded. He then pleaded with Naqib for help, claiming that he was homesick and wanted to return to Malaysia. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDR 2025 a rallying cry amid significant challenges facing Singapore, say analysts Singapore NDR 2025: The case for growing old at home in super-ageing Singapore Singapore WP urges Government to engage widely, explore all solutions following National Day Rally 2025 Opinion A 'we first' Singapore is the hardest policy for PM Lawrence Wong to deliver Singapore Age Well Neighbourhoods, job-matching by CDCs: 10 highlights from PM Wong's National Day Rally speech Singapore LTA, public transport operators join anti-vaping effort with stepped-up enforcement World Trump, tech and Texas: What's next for the US? Singapore 3 foreigners arrested for working illegally as delivery riders in Singapore: Koh Poh Koon The prosecution said that while Naqib initially refused, he later took pity on Fakaruddin and relented. On the same day, he asked Fakaruddin to hide in the cargo compartment of his lorry before heading towards Tuas Checkpoint to return to Malaysia. But their plan was foiled by ICA officers at the border checkpoint – after their vehicle was called out for inspection. The prosecution noted that Naqib did not plan to help Fakaruddin in exchange for any personal financial gain, but had rather taken pity on his long-time friend. Fakaruddin faces two charges of importing tobacco products into Singapore, among which were 8,400 pieces of vape pods, 4,430 pieces of disposable vapes, 350 boxes of vape devices and 1,150 vape cartridges. He also faces one charge of failing to produce his passport at the checkpoint when he was arrested along with Naqib. He will return to court on Sept 11.
