The Ex-Minister is the first person to be prosecuted under Section 165 in post-independent Singapore. Indian-origin former Transport Minister S. Iswaran was handed a one-year jail sentence on Thursday (October 3, 2024) after he pleaded guilty to five charges relating to corruption and blocking of justice in the High Court on September 24.
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Singapore: On Thursday, October 3, 2024, S. Iswaran, a former Transport Minister of Indian origin in Singapore, was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading guilty to five charges related to corruption and obstruction of justice. His sentencing followed a court appearance on September 24, where he faced the charges in the High Court.
The court’s decision surpassed the prosecution’s initial recommendation, which had asked for a sentence ranging between six to seven months. However, Justice Vincent Hoong found this suggestion to be “manifestly inadequate,” underscoring the seriousness of the crime.
In his judgment, Justice Hoong emphasized that
“the higher the office held by the offender as a public servant, the higher his level of culpability.”
This statement highlighted the gravity of the offense due to Iswaran’s high-ranking position in government.
Notably, S. Iswaran’s case is historically significant. According to The Straits Times, he is
“the first person to be prosecuted under Section 165 in post-independent Singapore,”
marking a critical moment in the country’s legal history.
The defense, in an attempt to reduce Iswaran’s sentence, pointed to his long-standing public service, his voluntary return of illicit gains, and his early guilty plea as mitigating factors.
Judge Hoong acknowledged these aspects but noted that they did not heavily sway his decision. Specifically, Hoong addressed the scale and repetitive nature of Iswaran’s offenses.
“Given that the rest of the 30 charges that were taken into consideration bear similarities with the proceeded charges where he received gifts, these charges revealed scale and repetition of offending over a significant period of time,”
-stated the judge. This, according to the judge, was a “culpability-increasing factor.”
While Iswaran’s public service contributions were acknowledged, Judge Hoong ultimately deemed them “at most a neutral factor,” implying that they did not significantly lessen the severity of his punishment.
Questions about Iswaran’s genuine remorse also arose during the trial. Justice Hoong expressed doubt over the sincerity of his regret, stating,
“I have difficulty believing that Iswaran was remorseful,”
-particularly given that Iswaran had previously made public statements dismissing the charges as false.
In the final assessment, the judge rejected the defense’s requests for further leniency. He clarified that the accused would only be entitled to a maximum
“sentencing discount of up to 10%.”
This case serves as a stern reminder of the strict anti-corruption measures enforced in Singapore and the expectations placed on high-ranking public officials to uphold the law and maintain integrity in their service to the country.
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