January 18, 2024
SINGAPORE – Former transport minister S. Iswaran was handed 27 charges on Jan 18, including allegedly receiving tickets from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng to shows such as Harry Potter And The Cursed Child.
Some of the charges were related to alleged incidents that happened between 2015 and 2021, and included receiving two tickets to a football match between West Ham United and Everton.
A court officer told the court the charges were read to him before the hearing.
Iswaran, who was arrested in July 2023 by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), arrived at the State Courts around 8am on Jan 18.
He arrived with his legal team, which includes Senior Counsel Davinder Singh from Davinder Singh Chambers, and did not comment when The Straits Times approached him.
The prosecution team is led by Chief Prosecutor Tan Kiat Pheng, who is assisted by two deputy public prosecutors, Mr Jiang Ke Yue and Mr Kelvin Chong.
When the judge asked Iswaran how he intended to plead, he said: “Not guilty.”
Iswaran is now out on $800,000 bail.
The court heard that the charges are two counts of corruption, 24 counts of obtaining items from someone he had business dealings with as a public servant and one of obstructing the course of justice.
Mr Singh told the court that Iswaran was initially charged on Jan 15 with 36 charges and that cautioned statements were taken on these charges.
He said the defence learnt on the morning of Jan 18 that there were now 27 charges, and asked if the prosecution was proceeding on the remaining nine charges.
The prosecution said it was not.
Court documents show that most of the offences Iswaran faces involve Mr Ong, who brought Formula One to Singapore in 2008.
In September 2022, Iswaran had allegedly corruptly obtained from Mr Ong gratification with a total value of about $145,434 as inducement for advancing his business interests in matters relating to a contract between Singapore GP and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
The alleged gratification included 10 Green Room tickets, 8 Twenty3 tickets and 32 general admission tickets to the 2022 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix.
He also allegedly obtained from Mr Ong gratification valued at $20,848.03 in December 2022 for advancing his business interests in matters relating to a contract between Singapore GP and the STB and a proposal for a contract with the STB.
The alleged bribes included an outbound flight on Ong’s private plane from Singapore to Doha worth about US$7,700 (S$10,410.40), one night’s stay in Four Seasons Doha worth about S$4,737.63, and a business class flight from Doha to Singapore worth about S$5,700.
He had also allegedly obtained, as a public servant, valuable things with a total value of about $218,058.95 from Mr Ong on 24 occasions between November 2015 and December 2021. He allegedly either received this through Mr Ong directly, Mr Ong’s company Como Holdings (UK) or Singapore GP.
He allegedly did so while knowing that Mr Ong had a connection with his official function as chairman of the F1 Steering Committee.
The items include two tickets to a football match between West Ham United and Everton worth about £468 (S$1,006.06) that he received around November 2015 and 10 Green Room tickets to the 2017 Singapore Formula One Grand Prix worth about $42,265 that he received in September 2016.
He also allegedly in September 2018 obtained 13 general admission tickets to the 2018 Singapore Formula One Grand Prix worth about $16,744.
He also purportedly received tickets to multiple shows including Hamilton, Kinky Boots, Book Of Mormon and Harry Potter And The Cursed Child.
Iswaran had also allegedly obstructed the course of justice on or about May 25, 2023.
He had allegedly made repayment of $5,700 – the cost of his business class flight ticket from Doha to Singapore that he had taken on Dec 11, 2022, at Mr Ong’s expense – through Singapore GP.
Iswaran, 61, was arrested by CPIB on July 11, 2023, following its investigation into a separate matter. He was then released on bail.
He was instructed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to take a leave of absence until investigations were completed.
His monthly pay was reduced to $8,500.
On Jan 9, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing provided an update in response to a parliamentary question.
He said the CPIB has completed its investigation into Iswaran and the matter was before the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
The AGC has the prosecutorial discretion to decide whether a person is charged and the charge on which he is prosecuted.
Iswaran was elected into Parliament in 1997 as an MP for West Coast GRC, where he served for the last 26 years.
He was promoted to full minister in the Prime Minister’s Office in 2011, and has held ministerial positions in the ministries of education, home affairs, and communications and information.
Mr Ong was also arrested on July 11 as part of the corruption probe.
On Jan 18, in response to media queries, a spokesperson from AGC said Mr Ong was among others investigated in the case.
She added: “The Attorney-General’s Chambers will take a decision in respect of the investigations against Mr Ong and others, after the case against Mr S. Iswaran has been completed, including the presentation of evidence in court.”
Iswaran’s pre-trial conference is scheduled for March 1.