Graft trial of Singapore ex-minister begins
First one involving a political office holder for more than four decades
Wednesday, 25 September 2024
SINGAPORE, Sept 24 (AFP): The rare graft trial of a former Singaporean minister began on Tuesday, the first involving a political office holder for more than four decades in a nation often cited as one of the world's least corrupt.
Ex-transport minister S. Iswaran, known for helping bring Formula 1 to the financial hub, resigned in January after being hit with dozens of charges including accepting gifts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
He arrived at the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning in a white SUV, declining to answer questions and only saying "good morning" to reporters gathered outside before proceedings started at around 10 am local time (0200 GMT).
The former minister is standing in a trial deemed by observers to be one of the most politically significant in the city-state's history. It also risks damaging the reputation of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) before general elections expected to be held by November next year.
Iswaran resigned from the party after being given formal notice of the charges against him, but pleaded not guilty to them.
Most of the 35 charges against the 62-year-old relate to corruption-with an allegation involving a government contract carrying up to seven years in jail-but he also faces one charge of obstruction of justice.
Among other accusations, he is alleged to have accepted gifts from two businessmen worth more than $300,000.
Those included tickets to high-profile sporting events and stage shows from Malaysian hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng, one of Singapore's richest people.
Ong, the managing director of Hotel Properties Limited, was arrested the same day as Iswaran in 2023 but has since faced no punishment.
The transport minister is also accused of accepting bottles of whiskey and golf clubs from a top director at a construction company, who has not been charged with any offence.
Most of the charges against Iswaran have been levelled with a rarely used criminal law that states it is an offence for public servants to accept objects of value from figures they officially work with.
Iswaran's lawyers claim the businessmen are his close friends and he could accept the gifts in a personal capacity.
The former minister rejects the charges and claimed innocence in his resignation letter.