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Ex-Transport Minister S Iswaran Hit with 8 Additional Charges

Mar 25, 2024 1 min read

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S Iswaran, Singapore's former Transport Minister, is facing eight additional charges under Section 165 of the Penal Code, accused of accepting valuable items from individuals with business interests that were connected to his official capacity in the government. The new allegations involve items worth approximately S$18,956 ($14,077), bringing the total number of charges against him to 35. The items mentioned in the charges include whisky, golf clubs, and a Brompton bicycle.

These charges are part of a broader corruption case, where Iswaran is accused of receiving kickbacks worth S$384,340 ($286,181) from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng. Iswaran, who was arrested in July of the previous year, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case has been escalated to the High Court. If convicted of the graft charges, Iswaran could face penalties of up to S$100,000 or seven years in prison.

The case has drawn significant attention as one of Singapore's most prominent corruption scandals involving a minister. The last similar case dates back to 1986 involving a national development minister. The allegations against Iswaran span a period between November 2021 and November 2022. His lawyer has noted that there was no previous mention of the possibility of additional charges.

#world #corruption #politics

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