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Trial of lawyer who fled S'pore with S$5.7m begins
By Shaffiq Alkhatib | Posted: 15 November 2010 2136 hrs
SINGAPORE: A trial involving 42-year-old Tan Cheng Yew, a lawyer who was on the run, began in a district court on Monday. Tan allegedly fled Singapore with some S$5.7 million belonging to his client.
Tan left the country in February 2003 but was caught by German police who arrested him in Munich in June last year.
He was sent back to Singapore on 22 October last year after Germany granted his extradition.
Tan currently faces six charges in all, four for criminal breach of trust and two for cheating. He is believed to have committed the offences between March 2001 and April 2003.
It is currently unknown how many witnesses defence will call. However, prosecution will be calling upon 21 witnesses and it will be proceeding on four charges.
All of them involve businessman, Tan Kwee Khoon and his family members.
Tan Kwee Khoon's family is believed to have entrusted Tan with more than 3.4 million dollars but the accused allegedly converted the monies for his own use.
It is believed he also cheated Mr Tan Khwee Khoon into handing over to him two cheques worth S$1.38 million.
In its opening address, the prosecution, led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Siva Shanmugam said that in April 2001, the Tan family extended a loan of S$1.5 million to the Central Christian Church.
The money was to be used to purchase a piece of land and build a church building. Mr Tan then transferred the money to the church between May and June that year.
As the land had not been tendered for, the lawyer, Tan Cheng Yew, who was acting for the family, allegedly advised them to place the cash under the trust of his law firm and for a loan agreement to be signed.
It is believed another law firm acting for the church, Shanker, Nandwani and Partners then forwarded a cheque for S$1.5 million dated 28 July 2001 to Tan Cheng Yew for him to hold on trust.
However, the accused allegedly deposited the money into his own Fixed Deposit Account after this and pledged it to the bank as security for his personal loan facility.
Then in January 2002, it is believed he deceived Mr Tan into believing it was a legal requirement for debtors to repay the money they had borrowed from the first year of their loan.
However, prosecution said that Mr Tan did not want the church to start making repayments at such an early state. Instead, he was willing to make these repayments on the church's behalf.
It is believed the accused asked Mr Tan to issue him a cheque dated 5 February 2002 for S$480,000.
The accused then allegedly deposited the cheque into his own bank account on the Feb 6 2002.
The court heard that if Mr Tan had known that there were no such legal requirements, he would not have given the cheque to the accused.
The Tan family is also believed to have entrusted an additional S$1.9 million to the accused between March and June 2001.
The accused also allegedly duped Mr Tan into writing out a cheque for S$900,000 which was supposed to be invested with an Australian bank. Instead, it is believed the accused deposited the cheque into his own Fixed Deposit account.
Tan Cheng Yew, who has been in remand since his return to Singapore, is represented by Senior Counsel Michael Khoo.
The hearing, which is scheduled for nine days, continues on Tuesday.
-CNA/ac
By Shaffiq Alkhatib | Posted: 15 November 2010 2136 hrs
SINGAPORE: A trial involving 42-year-old Tan Cheng Yew, a lawyer who was on the run, began in a district court on Monday. Tan allegedly fled Singapore with some S$5.7 million belonging to his client.
Tan left the country in February 2003 but was caught by German police who arrested him in Munich in June last year.
He was sent back to Singapore on 22 October last year after Germany granted his extradition.
Tan currently faces six charges in all, four for criminal breach of trust and two for cheating. He is believed to have committed the offences between March 2001 and April 2003.
It is currently unknown how many witnesses defence will call. However, prosecution will be calling upon 21 witnesses and it will be proceeding on four charges.
All of them involve businessman, Tan Kwee Khoon and his family members.
Tan Kwee Khoon's family is believed to have entrusted Tan with more than 3.4 million dollars but the accused allegedly converted the monies for his own use.
It is believed he also cheated Mr Tan Khwee Khoon into handing over to him two cheques worth S$1.38 million.
In its opening address, the prosecution, led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Siva Shanmugam said that in April 2001, the Tan family extended a loan of S$1.5 million to the Central Christian Church.
The money was to be used to purchase a piece of land and build a church building. Mr Tan then transferred the money to the church between May and June that year.
As the land had not been tendered for, the lawyer, Tan Cheng Yew, who was acting for the family, allegedly advised them to place the cash under the trust of his law firm and for a loan agreement to be signed.
It is believed another law firm acting for the church, Shanker, Nandwani and Partners then forwarded a cheque for S$1.5 million dated 28 July 2001 to Tan Cheng Yew for him to hold on trust.
However, the accused allegedly deposited the money into his own Fixed Deposit Account after this and pledged it to the bank as security for his personal loan facility.
Then in January 2002, it is believed he deceived Mr Tan into believing it was a legal requirement for debtors to repay the money they had borrowed from the first year of their loan.
However, prosecution said that Mr Tan did not want the church to start making repayments at such an early state. Instead, he was willing to make these repayments on the church's behalf.
It is believed the accused asked Mr Tan to issue him a cheque dated 5 February 2002 for S$480,000.
The accused then allegedly deposited the cheque into his own bank account on the Feb 6 2002.
The court heard that if Mr Tan had known that there were no such legal requirements, he would not have given the cheque to the accused.
The Tan family is also believed to have entrusted an additional S$1.9 million to the accused between March and June 2001.
The accused also allegedly duped Mr Tan into writing out a cheque for S$900,000 which was supposed to be invested with an Australian bank. Instead, it is believed the accused deposited the cheque into his own Fixed Deposit account.
Tan Cheng Yew, who has been in remand since his return to Singapore, is represented by Senior Counsel Michael Khoo.
The hearing, which is scheduled for nine days, continues on Tuesday.
-CNA/ac
:p
