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CHC members say they are behind their leaders[/h]
June 30th, 2012 |
Author:
Editorial
CHC members interviewed by the media are generally supportive of their Pastor Kong Hee and 4 other leaders who have been charged in Court for conspiracy to commit
criminal breach of trust (CBT).
The 5 have been charged for allegedly
siphoning $26.6 million from the church’s fund to cover up an initial $24 million which they had allegedly taken earlier to put into sham bond investments. These investments in turn were alleged to have been used to finance the music career of Sun Ho who is Kong’s wife.
CHC members said they have no problem with the use of church funds to finance Ho’s music career, even though the funds were slated for the church building construction.
The members said it was the church’s intention to reach a wider audience through her music.
Charlene Sng, 26, said, “When I gave, I believed I was sowing in God’s kingdom and I trust the pastors to use the money in whatever way it should be used.”
However, some netizens are not convinced. One YouTube commenter after viewing Ho’s music video
‘Mr Bill’ said, “I don’t understand how this song is supposed to send a message to the non-Christians to follow God. Do I have to play the song backward or something?”
Another
blogger named Michelle said
Ms. Ho’s lyrics were “insipid” and didn’t have “any discernable lyrical connections with Christian beliefs or morality beyond pedestrian references to love.”
Meanwhile, CHC itself has also issued a statement dismissing the allegations of misuse of funds before the case has gone to trial. Representing CHC, Mr Aries Zulkarnain, the executive pastor, said that the church stands with the members involved.
The people currently in the news are our pastors and trusted staff and leaders who have always put God and CHC first. As a church we stand with them and I believe fully in their integrity. Pastor Kong is still our Senior Pastor.
He also added:
It has been suggested that the church has been cheated of $50 million. This is not accurate. The $24 million, which went to investment bonds, was returned to the church in full, with interest. We didn’t lose the $24 million, nor did we lose ‘another $26.6m’ as alleged. The church did not lose any funds in the relevant transactions, and no personal profit was gained by the individuals concerned.
However, some lawyers responded that the
statement by the church was risky and reckless because it could be construed as interfering with the judicial process.
The president of the Association of Criminal Lawyers of Singapore Subhas Anandan said,
“To address the allegations is subjudice, as the evidence has not been heard in court.”
But others said it is debatable whether
Mr Aries’ comments were in contempt of court.
Earlier, the Attorney-General’s Chambers had said that criminal charges were before the court and that neither the prosecution nor any other party should comment on issues which will be subject to adjudication and on which evidence will be led in court.
The police also gave a similar response,
“Generally, in law, the offence of criminal breach of trust of monies is established once there is misappropriation of the monies with the requisite intent, regardless of whether there have or have not been subsequent attempts at restitution by the accused.”
Kong and his compatriots have not entered pleas and are due in court on July 25.
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