Singapore charges property billionaire linked to jailed minister's case (updated)

Hotel Properties

04/10/2024 10:11

(Updates paragraphs 6, 8, 9,  and 13 with information from the
attorney-general's chambers)
    By Xinghui Kok
       SINGAPORE, Oct 3 (Reuters) - 
    A Singapore court charged a property billionaire on Friday
with obstructing justice and abetting offences, over flights and
luxury hotel accommodation given to a disgraced ex-transport
minister jailed the previous day in a major corruption case.
  
   Ong Beng Seng, the 78-year-old owner of Hotel Properties Ltd
 HPPS.SI  and rights holder to the Singapore Grand Prix Formula
One race, is accused of giving high-value gifts to ex-minister
S. Iswaran, who on Thursday became the first former cabinet
member to be jailed in Singapore.
    The case has been the subject of major intrigue in
Singapore, a wealthy financial hub that offers ministers
salaries of more than S$1 million dollars ($771,247) to deter
graft and prides itself on its reputation for clean governance.
    Iswaran was imprisoned for 12 months for obstructing justice
and improperly receiving gifts as a public servant, with Ong a
central part of the prosecution's case.
    Ong, a Malaysian citizen based in Singapore, has so far
issued no comment on the accusations. Channel NewsAsia said he
entered no plea on Friday and did not indicate how he would
plead.
    Ong's firm, Singapore-listed Hotel Properties Ltd, requested
a trading halt early on Friday following Thursday's announcement
that he would be charged.
    Prosecutors during Iswaran's trial said the ex-minister
received gifts worth more than $300,000, including tickets to
English Premier League soccer matches, the F1 Grand Prix, London
musicals and a ride on a private jet to Doha.
    Ong was charged with one count of abetting Iswaran's
receiving of two flights and luxury hotel accommodation in Doha
worth S$20,848.03, and one count of abetting Iswaran in
obstruction of justice, said the attorney-general's chambers.
    The charges correspond to two of Iswaran's 35 charges.
    The attorney-general's chambers said the prosecution will
not charge Ong for his involvement in other charges against
Iswaran. It said it was unable to comment further as the matter
is before the court.
    The court during Iswaran's trial heard how the minister had
asked Ong to bill him for the Doha trip on the private jet after
he discovered the anti-graft agency had seized the flight
manifest for an unrelated case. 
    Justice Vincent Hoong, who presided over Iswaran's case, on
Thursday said the minister's request to be billed was a
deliberate move to obstruct the course of justice and try to
evade investigation.
    Channel NewsAsia said Ong's court hearing was adjourned
until pre-trial proceedings on Nov. 15.
    The attorney-general's chambers said it will not charge Lum
Kok Seng, another businessman named in Iswaran's charges as
having given gifts to the former minister.
    ($1 = 1.2966 Singapore dollars)

 (Reporting by Xinghui Kok; Editing by Martin Petty, Jacqueline
Wong, Peter Graff)
 ((mailto:xinghui.kok@thomsonreuters.com))