Iswaran faces 8 new charges over obtaining $19k in items including Brompton bike, golf clubs
SINGAPORE – Former transport minister S. Iswaran was handed eight new charges in court on March 25.
These are under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which makes it an offence for public servants to accept gifts from someone involved with them in an official capacity.
When asked by District Judge Brenda Tan, Iswaran – who now faces 35 charges in total – said he pleaded not guilty to the additional charges.
On March 25, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in a statement that Iswaran had allegedly obtained, as a public servant, valuables with a total value of about $18,956.94from a Lum Kok Seng.
Iswaran had allegedly known him to be involved in business that had a connection with his official function as minister for transport.
These alleged offences were committed between November 2021 and November 2022.
The business transacted involved a contract between Lum Chang Building Contractors and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) for addition and alteration works to Tanah Merah MRT station and existing viaducts.
The website of Lum Chang, a property management, interior design and construction firm, lists Mr Lum as its managing director.
The firm’s construction arm, Lum Chang Building Contractors, has taken on multibillion-dollar civil, building and infrastructural projects in Singapore, including being the main contractor for Bukit Panjang MRT station along the Downtown Line.
An LTA spokesperson said on March 25 that the statutory board has two ongoing projects with Lum Chang Building Contractors, including the one at Tanah Merah station that was awarded in October 2016.
The other one is the construction of the North-South Corridor tunnel between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and Avenue 9 that was awarded in December 2018.
“LTA has not awarded any contract to Lum Chang Building Contractors since 2019,” the spokesperson added.
An Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) spokesperson said it will take a decision in respect of the investigations against Mr Lum after the case against Iswaran has been completed, including the presentation of evidence in court.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a Lum Chang spokesperson pointed to a statement by its board of directors issued to employees on March 25.
The statement said the board is aware that Mr Lum and Lum Chang Building Contractors were mentioned in media reports involving Iswaran and will make an announcement when there are material developments in the case.
Iswaran arrived in court on March 25 at about 8.20am with members of his legal team from Davinder Singh Chambers.
Speaking to the media gathered outside the court, he said: “Sorry you all had to get up so early this morning.”
As he walked towards the court trailed by members of the media, one of them tripped and fell. Iswaran helped him pick up his belongings.
Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng told the court that the purpose of the March 25 hearing was to tender eight additional charges against Iswaran and transmit the new charges to the High Court.
Mr Navin Shanmugaraj Thevar, one of Iswaran’s lawyers, questioned why the new charges were tendered only now, and if the prosecution intended to file more charges against his client.
“The eight new charges today were not part of the 36 (cautioned statements),” the defence lawyer added.
A cautioned statement sets out a notice for an accused person to provide his defence in response to an offence he is being charged with.
Mr Thevar added that the eight new charges related to matters that the CPIB had questioned Iswaran over in July and August 2023.
He said: “On March 16, three days before the criminal case disclosure conference (CCDC) at the High Court, CPIB called my client in and he was served eight new charges.”
During a CCDC, the prosecution and the defence disclose information about the case to facilitate the trial process.
Mr Thevar added: “When Mr Iswaran asked CPIB when the charges would be brought in court, he was told a decision had not been made.”
Chief Prosecutor Tan said in response that all charges tendered against Iswaran were based on evidence uncovered by CPIB and they had been reviewed by the AGC.
Iswaran faces 8 new charges over obtaining $19k in items including Brompton bike, golf clubs
SINGAPORE – Former transport minister S. Iswaran was handed eight new charges in court on March 25.
These are under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which makes it an offence for public servants to accept gifts from someone involved with them in an official capacity.
When asked by District Judge Brenda Tan, Iswaran – who now faces 35 charges in total – said he pleaded not guilty to the additional charges.
On March 25, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in a statement that Iswaran had allegedly obtained, as a public servant, valuables with a total value of about $18,956.94 from a Lum Kok Seng.
Iswaran had allegedly known him to be involved in business that had a connection with his official function as minister for transport.
These alleged offences were committed between November 2021 and November 2022.
According to charge sheets, the items include bottles of whisky, golf clubs and a Brompton bicycle that cost $7,907.50.
The business transacted involved a contract between Lum Chang Building Contractors and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) for addition and alteration works to Tanah Merah MRT station and existing viaducts.
The website of Lum Chang, a property management, interior design and construction firm, lists Mr Lum as its managing director.
The firm’s construction arm, Lum Chang Building Contractors, has taken on multibillion-dollar civil, building and infrastructural projects in Singapore, including being the main contractor for Bukit Panjang MRT station along the Downtown Line.
An LTA spokesperson said on March 25 that the statutory board has two ongoing projects with Lum Chang Building Contractors, including the one at Tanah Merah station that was awarded in October 2016.
The other one is the construction of the North-South Corridor tunnel between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and Avenue 9 that was awarded in December 2018.
“LTA has not awarded any contract to Lum Chang Building Contractors since 2019,” the spokesperson added.
An Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) spokesperson said it will take a decision in respect of the investigations against Mr Lum after the case against Iswaran has been completed, including the presentation of evidence in court.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a Lum Chang spokesperson pointed to a statement by its board of directors issued to employees on March 25.
The statement said the board is aware that Mr Lum and Lum Chang Building Contractors were mentioned in media reports involving Iswaran and will make an announcement when there are material developments in the case.
Iswaran arrived in court on March 25 at about 8.20am with members of his legal team from Davinder Singh Chambers.
Speaking to the media gathered outside the court, he said: “Sorry you all had to get up so early this morning.”
As he walked towards the court trailed by members of the media, one of them tripped and fell. Iswaran helped him pick up his belongings.
Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng told the court that the purpose of the March 25 hearing was to tender eight additional charges against Iswaran and transmit the new charges to the High Court.
Mr Navin Shanmugaraj Thevar, one of Iswaran’s lawyers, questioned why the new charges were tendered only now, and if the prosecution intended to file more charges against his client.
Mr Thevar said the prosecution recorded 36 cautioned statements from Iswaran in January 2024 but handed the former minister only 27 charges at his first court hearing on Jan 18.
“The eight new charges today were not part of the 36 (cautioned statements),” the defence lawyer added.
A cautioned statement sets out a notice for an accused person to provide his defence in response to an offence he is being charged with.
Mr Thevar added that the eight new charges related to matters that the CPIB had questioned Iswaran over in July and August 2023.
He said: “On March 16, three days before the criminal case disclosure conference (CCDC) at the High Court, CPIB called my client in and he was served eight new charges.”
During a CCDC, the prosecution and the defence disclose information about the case to facilitate the trial process.
Mr Thevar added: “When Mr Iswaran asked CPIB when the charges would be brought in court, he was told a decision had not been made.”
Chief Prosecutor Tan said in response that all charges tendered against Iswaran were based on evidence uncovered by CPIB and they had been reviewed by the AGC.
More at https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/iswaran-returns-to-state-courts-on-march-25-about-10-weeks-after-he-was-first-charged