Latest news with #HomeDetentionScheme
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Ex-transport minister S. Iswaran completes home detention scheme, no longer under prison custody
Former transport minister S. Iswaran was placed on the Home Detention Scheme on Feb 7. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH SINGAPORE - Former transport minister S. Iswaran has completed his jail term and is no longer under prison custody. The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) said on June 6 that he has completed his emplacement on the Home Detention Scheme. On Oct 3, 2024, he was handed a 12-month jail term in a case that saw, for the first time, a former Cabinet minister being sentenced. He had spent four months in jail since he began his sentence on Oct 7, 2024. He was placed on the Home Detention Scheme on Feb 7, 2025. SPS had previously said that Mr Iswaran was assessed to be suitable for the scheme as he was of low risk of reoffending, did not commit any institutional offence in prison and had strong family support. Inmates who display good conduct in prison are eligible for remission after serving two-thirds of their sentence, or after serving 14 days of their sentence, whichever ends later. In Mr Iswaran's case, this would be eight months of his 12-month term. SPS said prisoners are assessed for their suitability for the scheme by taking into consideration various factors, such as their conduct and their progress and response to rehabilitation, during incarceration. Under the Home Detention Scheme, Mr Iswaran served his remaining sentence at his residence under specified conditions. These included curfew monitoring using an electronic monitoring tag, being occupied in work, study or training, and reporting to SPS for counselling. Mr Iswaran's one-year jail term was almost double the six to seven months' jail the prosecution had sought. His lawyer, Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, had asked for not more than eight weeks' jail. Mr Iswaran pleaded guilty to five charges on Sept 24, 2024, on what was to be the first day of a highly anticipated trial in which he aimed to clear his name. The charges he admitted to comprised four charges of obtaining valuable items as a public servant from Ong Beng Seng, chairman of Formula One race promoter Singapore GP, and Mr David Lum Kok Seng, managing director of construction company Lum Chang Holdings. The fifth charge was for obstructing the course of justice by making payment of $5,700 for a business class flight he had taken from Doha to Singapore in 2022 at Ong's expense. Mr Iswaran made the payment to throw off the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, which found his name in a flight manifest it had seized while investigating Ong's associates. In sentencing Mr Iswaran, Justice Vincent Hoong said the prosecution and defence had asked for 'manifestly inadequate' jail terms. The judge said general deterrence, aimed at setting an example for others who commit offences, was the primary consideration in his sentencing decision. He added that Mr Iswaran, as a minister and chairman of the Formula One steering committee, wielded influence in matters of great public interest, even if there was no evidence the gifts had influenced decisions over Formula One or its contracts. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Ex-Singapore Transport Minister Iswaran completes sentence
SINGAPORE: Former Singapore Transport Minister S. Iswaran has completed his sentence and is no longer in prison custody, local media reported. The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) said on Friday that he has completed his emplacement on the Home Detention Scheme, The Straits Times (ST) reported. The 62-year-old was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment by the High Court on Oct 3, 2024, after pleading guilty to four charges of accepting valuable items as a public servant and one charge of obstruction of justice. He began serving his sentence on Oct 7, 2024, and was placed on home detention on Feb 7 this year, after being assessed as suitable for the scheme.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
Ex-transport minister S. Iswaran completes corruption jail term
SINGAPORE: Former transport minister S. Iswaran has completed his sentence and is no longer in prison custody. The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) said today that he has completed his emplacement on the Home Detention Scheme, The Straits Times reported. On October 3, 2024, he was handed a 12-month jail term in a case that marked the first time a former Cabinet minister in Singapore had been sentenced. Iswaran served four months in prison after beginning his sentence on October 7, 2024. He was placed under the Home Detention Scheme on February 7, 2025. The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) previously stated that Iswaran was deemed suitable for the Home Detention Scheme as he was assessed to be at low risk of reoffending, had committed no disciplinary offences while in prison, and had strong family support. Iswaran pleaded guilty on September 24, 2024 to four charges under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which prohibits public servants from accepting anything of value from individuals connected to them in an official capacity. The charges related to his acceptance of valuable items from Singapore GP majority shareholder Ong Beng Seng and construction executive Lum Kok Seng, during his tenure in roles that involved official dealings with both men.
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Ex-Singapore transport minister S. Iswaran completes home detention scheme, no longer under prison custody
Former transport minister S. Iswaran was placed on the Home Detention Scheme on Feb 7. -- ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Former transport minister S. Iswaran has completed his sentence and is no longer under prison custody. The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) said on June 6 that Iswaran has completed his emplacement on the Home Detention Scheme and is no longer under SPS custody. On Oct 3, 2024, Iswaran was handed a 12-month jail term in a case that saw, for the first time, a former Cabinet minister being sentenced. He had spent four months in jail since he began his sentence on Oct 7, 2024. He was placed on the Home Detention Scheme on Feb 7, 2025. SPS had previously said that Iswaran was assessed to be suitable for the scheme as he is of low risk of reoffending, did not commit any institutional offence in prison and has strong family support. - The Straits Times/ANN
Online Citizen
2 days ago
- Online Citizen
Former transport minister S Iswaran released after serving sentence under home detention
SINGAPORE: Former transport minister S Iswaran has completed his sentence and is no longer under the custody of the Singapore Prison Service (SPS), according to an announcement made on 6 June 2025. The SPS confirmed that Iswaran's emplacement on the Home Detention Scheme (HDS) has ended. His release follows several months under the scheme, which allows inmates to reintegrate under supervision. Iswaran was sentenced on 3 October 2024 to 12 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to five corruption-related charges. He began serving his sentence on 7 October 2024 and was placed on home detention on 7 February 2025. According to The Straits Times, his early release came under Singapore's Conditional Remission System (CRS) and HDS, both designed to promote rehabilitation while maintaining strict monitoring protocols. SPS previously said Iswaran was assessed as suitable for early release due to his low risk of reoffending, good conduct in custody, and strong family support network. The charges against him included accepting luxury benefits from Ong Beng Seng, chairman of Singapore GP, and David Lum Kok Seng, managing director of Lum Chang Holdings. One of the key incidents was a trip to Doha in December 2022, valued at approximately S$20,850 (US$15,500), which was fully paid for by Ong. Iswaran also faced charges of attempting to obstruct justice when he later reimbursed S$5,700 for a business-class flight initially paid by Ong. This occurred after learning that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) had seized a flight manifest as part of their inquiry. Although prosecutors initially sought a jail term of six to seven months, the court imposed a 12-month sentence, citing the seriousness of the offences.
