Latest news with #Allen&Gledhill
AsiaOne
04-08-2025
- AsiaOne
Ex-minister Iswaran's case: Ong Beng Seng pleads guilty to abetting obstruction of justice, seeks judicial mercy, Singapore News
Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng has pleaded guilty on August 4 to abetment of obstruction of justice in a case related to ex transport minister S. Iswaran. 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]]
AsiaOne
04-08-2025
- AsiaOne
Ong Beng Seng pleads guilty to abetting obstruction of justice in ex-minister Iswaran's case, Singapore News
Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng has pleaded guilty on August 4 to abetment of obstruction of justice in a case related to ex transport minister S. Iswaran. 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. Ong had 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]]
