SINGAPORE: The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) on Tuesday (Sep 24) cited possible difficulties in proving corruption charges against former transport minister S Iswaran, given that the two parties involved – Iswaran and property tycoon Ong Beng Seng – would essentially be implicating themselves to prove that corruption did take place.
Earlier in the day, Iswaran pleaded guilty to four charges under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which forbids all public servants from obtaining any valuable thing from someone involved with them in an official capacity, and one charge of obstruction of justice.
Two corruption charges, linked to gifts from Mr Ong, were officially amended at the last minute to charges under Section 165.
Offences under Section 165 carry lower maximum penalties of two years’ jail, compared to seven years for corruption.
WHY AGC AMENDED ISWARAN’S CHARGES
“In deciding whether to amend the charges, AGC considered the litigation risks involved in proving the PCA (Prevention of Corruption Act) charges beyond a reasonable doubt at trial, given that there are two primary parties to the transactions, and both would have an interest in denying corruption in the transactions,” said an AGC spokesperson.
“AGC also considered whether the amendment would lead to a fair and just outcome that is in line with the public interest.”
Both of Iswaran’s original two corruption charges, from January this year, named Mr Ong as the other party.
Despite being named in almost all the charges Iswaran faced, Mr Ong himself has, to date, not been prosecuted. The AGC said in January that it would decide on Mr Ong’s fate after the Iswaran case had been completed.
On Tuesday, the AGC gave an update on this and said it would take a decision on Mr Ong “soon”.
