SEX for 'A' grade: Law prof arrested

[lianbeng]

lianbeng says: she gave him sex n gifts - he tan tio liao lor!

 

[saltwater]

Sex-for-grades trial resumes at Subordinate Courts

Published on Jan 14, 2013

Ms Darinne Ko (second from left), the star witness at the centre of a sex-for-grades trial, arrived at the Subordinate Courts at 8.45am on Monday. -- ST PHOTO : WALTER SIM

By Walter Sim

Ms Darinne Ko, the star witness at the centre of a sex-for-grades trial, arrived at the Subordinate Courts at 8.45am on Monday.

She will return to the witness stand to give evidence for a third day as the prosecution seeks to make its case against law professor Tey Tsun Hang.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Andre Jumabhoy on Friday applied to impeach her, as her testimony in court was "a material departure" from statements she had given to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) last April.

He pointed out eight instances of such discrepancies to Chief District Judge Tan Siong Thye, with three addressed last Friday.

On the first day of the trial, which started Thursday, Ms Ko had painted a picture of love which flourished for a time between her and Tey, who was once her professor.

Tey, who arrived in court at 9.05am, is facing six charges of corruptly obtaining gifts and sex from her in exchange for better grades. The alleged offences took place between May and July 2010.

The gifts included a $740 Montblanc pen, two tailored shirts worth $236.20, a $160 iPod touch, and a $1,278.60 payment for a dinner Tey hosted. The sex took place in his NUS office on July 24 and 28, 2010.

The trial starts at 9.30am.

Tey, who is conducting his defence, may have the chance to cross-examine Ms Ko later today.

 

[KarJuaKoon]

Sex-for-grades case: Law professor starts cross-examination of Darinne Ko

Published on Jan 14, 2013

NUS law professor Tey Tsun Hang has started his cross-examination of former student Darinne Ko in the sex-for-grades case. -- ST PHOTO : WONG KWAI CHOW

By Bryna Singh

NUS law professor Tey Tsun Hang has started his cross-examination of former student Darinne Ko in the sex-for-grades case.

Addressing her in a gentle, fatherly manner, Tey began his line of defence by asking her about the circumstances surrounding her first statement to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) made on April 2 last year.

Earlier, the prosecution completed its application to impeach Ms Ko on disparities between certain information given during her court testimony and that in her CPIB statements.

Tey faces six charges of corruptly obtaining gifts and sex from her in exchange for better grades. These allegedly took place between May and July 2010.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

 

[KarJuaKoon]

Prof: I had sex on sofa with another student
Chai Hung Yin | The New Paper | Mon Jan 14 2013

SINGAPORE - The sofa in his office was in a rich shade of red. It was where law professor Tey Tsun Hang allegedly had sex with Miss Darinne Ko Wen Hui, now 23, twice.

In statements to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), however, Tey had also alleged that he had sex with another female student on that two-seater sofa.

Yesterday, he told the court that the statement was "a false confession" and was made under "harsh treatment".

Tey named her in court when he was making an application to the court for her examination transcript.

Tey told the court that he had made a statement to the CPIB which said he had "corruptly extracted sex" from her.

The statement also said that he had taken a number of personal items from the woman, who graduated in 2009.

Clad again in a lawyer's robe while standing in the dock, Tey is defending himself, with his solicitor, Mr Peter Low, advising him.

The name of another former student was also mentioned in court on Friday.

But there were no details on the nature of the relationship between Tey and the man, who graduated in 2010.

 

[Monkey2000]

The gifts included tailor-made shirts, an iPod and a Montblanc pen.

The prosecution said these were inducements to show favour in his assessment of Ms Ko's academic performance.[/COLOR]

Disgusting.

 

[KarJuaKoon]

She watches as officers search her bedroom

By Ben Nadarajan and Rennie Whang
The New Paper
Monday, Jan 14, 2013

THE knocks on the door came at 6.30am, just three hours after final-year law student Darinne Ko Wen Hui, 23, had gone to bed.

One of her parents opened the door for two officers from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

They were ringing the door bell "repeatedly", Miss Ko told the court yesterday when asked about a statement she gave to the bureau on April 2 last year.

The officers said they needed Miss Ko's assistance in an investigation. One of her parents woke her up.

The pair searched her bedroom as she stood in a corner.

They did not tell her what they were looking for, she said, but they were rifling through all her possessions.

Miss Ko was giving details yesterday to explain the discrepancies in her court testimony and her statements to the CPIB on the day she waspicked up.

She was tired, having had little sleep when she was giving her statements.

She gave these details while she was being questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Andre Jumabhoy on certain paragraphs in her April 2, 2012 statement, after the prosecutor sought to impeach her.

After an hour searching her room that day, CPIB officers took away three files of her school notes, her laptop, some loose papers, an appointment letter she had, her mobile phone and her iPad.

Take sweater, medication

They told her they needed to take her back to CPIB for questioning and asked her to pack her things - a sweater in case she was cold, and whatever medication she needed as she could "potentially be there for a very long time".

She did bring her medication because "if I stayed past the next morning, I would need it, so I brought it just in case", she said.

When asked by the prosecutor what the medication was for, Miss Ko simply replied: "The medication was for a condition I've had for sometime."

That morning, her mother, a civil servant, had asked the male officer how long her daughter would be at CPIB. He said it depended on how Miss Ko cooperated.

Her mother also asked if she needed to get a lawyer for her daughter and the officer said she could go ahead and get a lawyer if she wanted to know what was going on.

As Miss Ko was being led away to the officers' car - she was not handcuffed or restrained - her mother asked her what she should do. Miss Ko told her to do nothing.

The car ride to the CPIB office at Lengkok Bahru in the Redhill area took longer than usual - 40 minutes - because it was raining heavily and traffic was slow.

She sat at the back alone while the female officer drove. The male officer was in the front passenger seat.

It was only during this time that Miss Ko found out from the officers that the case was related to National University of Singapore law professor Tey Tsun Hang, who is now on trial for corruption in a sex-for-grades case.

During the journey, the officers asked Miss Ko about her relationship with Tey.

"They seemed to already know about it when they asked me. And I told them that, yes, we were previously dating," she said.

At CPIB, the two officers started questioning her about her affair with Tey.

Miss Ko said she told them reasons why she bought him certain gifts, but "they did not believe the reasons I provided... and refused to record a statement from me".

Finally, at 7pm - about 12 hours after she was picked up for questioning - the female officer, Ms Png Chen Chen, told Miss Ko that her boss wanted to see her.

"By this time, I was extremely fatigued because I'd only slept three hours in the last 30 hours," she said.

What's more, she was picked up just a week before her examinations and a day before she was due to submit a near-final draft of her research paper to a professor.

When asked about her version of events regarding a $740 Mont Blanc pen she bought for Tey, Miss Ko said that what was recorded in the statement had been "hyped up" by CPIB officer Png.

She later also said that the CPIB officers were willing to record what she was telling them for only "some of the statements".

"But in relation to the gifts, (officer Png) Chen Chen had received specific orders to record it within the parameters of my agreement with her boss."

Miss Ko did not elaborate on what this agreement had been, nor was she asked.

The statement took five hours and ended only at about2amthe next morning. She made several amendments to it before signing it.

Subsequently, she gave other statements to the CPIB, mainly to amend the portions of her first statement which she claimed had been "coerced".

DPP Jumabhoy pointed out that Miss Ko had never stated in any of her statements to CPIB that the fountain pen had been a belated birthday present for Tey - a point she had raised in court on Thursday when asked about the gift.

"No," Miss Ko admitted. "But I have repeatedly told them throughout the course of the day that they (her gifts to Tey) were based on my affections for him."

 

[KarJuaKoon]

Ex-lovers turn cold in court

January 15, 2013 - 12:51am

By: Chai Hung Yin

TNP PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

They were described as lovers. She bought him gifts. She was in awe of him and declared as much.

But if you were in court yesterday, you wouldn’t have thought they were even remotely acquainted.

He threw questions at her as part of his cross-examination. She would reply – but she wouldn’t look at him.

Miss Darinne Ko Wen Hui, now 23, is the prosecution’s star witness.

Yesterday, she half-hid behind her left hand, avoiding eye contact with her former professor at the National University of Singapore’s law school, Tey Tsun Hang, 41.

Tey faces six charges of obtaining sexual gratification and gifts from Miss Ko.

Read the full report in The New Paper on Tuesday (Jan 15).

 

[Rumpole]

The CPIB officers are clowns. Obviously on a fishing expedition. Fat Teng don't understand Ingereesh - "undue prejudice" is direct opposite of "undue favour"; don't understand law - illegal to extract coerced "confessions"; don't even understand modern life - "he told her that it was not possible for a girl to buy a guy gifts". How did Fat Teng get his job since he is obviously incompetent?

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1247779/1/.html

Law prof Tey cross-examines ex-student Ko
By Claire Huang | Posted: 14 January 2013 1229 hrs

SINGAPORE: The National University of Singapore (NUS) law professor on trial for corruption in a sex-for-grades sought to discredit his former student as he cross-examined her on Monday.

Tey Tsun Hang, 41, is accused of obtaining gratification in the form of gifts and sex, in exchange for lifting 23-year-old Ms Darinne Ko Wen Hui's grades.

When Ms Ko took the stand, Tey questioned her in a gentle manner.

She told the court that Tey did not promise any favour in her academic performance.

The 23-year-old said Tey had never given her any impression that he was someone who could influence or shape her future, academically or career-wise.

When asked if she ever felt taken advantage of by Tey, she said "no".

Ms Ko also dismissed suggestions that she tried to bribe Tey into giving her good grades.

She gave an account of the circumstances leading to the recording and her endorsement of her first statement made on 2 April 2012.

Ms Ko said she was hauled in by two officers from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), at about 7am or 8am during the examination period.

She said she was deprived of sleep, felt scared and anxious, and was interrogated until about 7pm before she was brought to see CPIB's deputy director, Teng Khee Fatt.

She said the recording officer had told Mr Teng she had been uncooperative.

Mr Teng, she said, told her that the evidence she gave the CPIB was "not making out the elements of the charge against Tey".

During their two-and-a-half-hour conversation, she said Mr Teng told her that corruption is a two-sided offence and that indemnity could be granted if the need arose.

She also said Mr Teng had wanted her to write that she had given the gifts because she wanted "favour" from Tey but she refused.

The two then argued about the terms to be used and finally settled on the words "undue prejudice", which she took as "treating her unfairly".

"I was slightly more comfortable with that compromise even though it was still not an accurate depiction of the true state of affairs," said Ms Ko.

When asked by Tey what the true state of affairs were, Ms Ko said: "I only bought Prof Tey the gifts because I liked him and we were in a relationship."

But Mr Teng didn't buy this answer, she said.

Ms Ko said he told her that it was not possible for a girl to buy a guy gifts.

She said Mr Teng also insisted that the reason why she bought those gifts was so that Tey would show her favour vis-a-vis her grades.

Ms Ko said she was told she was not allowed to go home until the CPIB recorded a statement from her.

When asked if the statement was accurate, Ms Ko said it wasn't.

She said the inaccuracy pertained to her motivation for showering Tey with gifts.

Earlier in the day, the prosecution went through the impeached parts of the statements and evidence provided by Ms Ko.

The court heard that Ms Ko also took three corporate insolvency subjects over three consecutive semesters.

The former district judge was trying to make the point that Ms Ko had an interest in insolvency law from the beginning. He tried to show there were only three professors who offered insolvency electives at NUS, so she would end up in his class at some point in time.

He also tried to show that her grades in insolvency were generally good.

Tey's cross-examination also touched on the modules Ms Ko enrolled in and the grades she got.

When asked if there was anyone else she could have done another elective on corporate insolvency with, Ms Ko said she did not believe so.

This explained why she took several modules including property law, company law, as well as equity and trust. Tey also taught equity and trust. She obtained B+ for all three modules.

Ms Ko testified that the equity and trust class was assigned to her.

When asked if she was seeking a favour from Tey by asking him to be her supervisor for her thesis on insolvency, Ms Ko flatly rejected the idea.

In the last hour before the trial was adjourned, the Montblanc pen in question finally appeared in court as evidence.

Tey pointed out that in her CPIB statement, Ms Ko said he had lost his fountain pen, which led to her buying him a $740 Montblanc pen, that was the Frederic Chopin edition, as his belated birthday gift.

Tey told her she had "recalled wrongly" and that his original fountain pen had been found. He admitted his supposedly "lost" pen as evidence.

But Ms Ko explained that she only heard from Tey that he had lost a fountain pen and did not know if he indeed had the pen.

Tey then quickly said: "The defendant does not seek to blame you. The defendant only wants to tell this honorable court that he had never lost his Sheaffer fountain pen, which can indeed be traced back to some 20 years ago."

Tey also tried to make his point that the gifts were an expression of her affection for him as the Montblanc pen had his name engraved on it and the CYC tailored shirts had his initials on the sleeves.

Lead prosecutor Andre Jumabhoy singled out differences in areas such as the time that Tey had called Ms Ko and revealed to her confidential ranking and grades before the release of the results.

Ms Ko had told the CPIB that Tey had called at about 11am but told the court last week that he called a few minutes before the official release of the results.

Another area was the bill for the Garibaldi dinner, which she had paid for.

With impeachment, the judge will decide at the end of the trial which parts of evidence to take into consideration.

- CNA/ck

 

[lianbeng]

lianbeng looked at her slutty face and wondered: virgin meh?

 

[Zieler]

Sex-for-grades case: CPIB officer says Darinne Ko was calm during investigations

Published on Jan 15, 2013

After four days on the stand, Ms Darinne Ko stepped down as a witness on Tuesday afternoon, in the sex-for-grades case. --ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Bryna Singh

After four days on the stand, Ms Darinne Ko stepped down as a witness on Tuesday afternoon, in the sex-for-grades case.

Senior special investigator Png Chen Chen from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) then took the stand. She told the court that she had been assigned to interview Ms Ko, a key witness in the trial. Ms Png said Ms Ko was calm and responsive from the time CPIB officers picked her up from her Bukit Timah home on April 2 2010, to the time that she reached the bureau.

During the journey, Ms Ko volunteered information about other students who were close to Tey and who had given him gifts too, said Ms Png. The names of some of these students have been highlighted during the past few days of court proceedings.

Ms Ko is said to have given gifts and sex to law professor Tey Tsun Hang. Tey faces six charges of corruptly obtaining these and giving Ms Ko good grades in return.

 

[Zieler]

Sex-for-grades trial: Prof says he gave Darinne Ko $2,500 cheque for gifts, dinner

Published on Jan 15, 2013

Tey Tsun Hang, 41, a former National University of Singapore (NUS) law professor. He was charged for allegedly receiving expensive gifts and sexual gratification from a then-NUS final-year law undergraduate, Darinne Ko, 23, in exchange for good grades. -- PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Bryna Singh

A twist emerged in the sex-for-grades corruption trial on Tuesday morning when the NUS law professor at the centre of it produced a cheque book entry showing a sum of $2,500.

Tey Tsun Hang claims he had given this to former student Darinne Ko in July 2, 2010, and suggested it was payment for the items she had given him and the dinner she had paid for. Ms Ko flatly denied having ever received it.

Tey asked the court to grant an application to have the entry admitted for forensic ink dating and handwriting checks. The prosecution strongly objected to this, arguing that it was a "smokescreen to distract the court".

The cheque was dated July 2, 2010 but included payment for the dinner on July 8, 2010. The prosecution said Tey had a "remarkable ability" to predict future events.

The judge has yet to make any order on the application.

Tey faces six charges of having corruptly obtained gifts and sex from Ms Ko between May and July 2010.

 

[Zieler]

Prosecution witness tells court Tey didn't ask for gifts
By Claire Huang | Posted: 15 January 2013 1121 hrs

Darinne Ko Wen Hui leaving the Subordinate Courts. (Photo: Ernest Chua, TODAY)

SINGAPORE: National University of Singapore law professor Tey Tsun Hang, 41, on trial for corruption in a sex-for-grades case said he had paid for the gifts he received from his former student, Ms Darinne Ko.

Tey, who said this on Day 4 of the hearing on Tuesday, also produced cheque book entries in court.

This came after 23-year-old Ms Ko, the prosecution's star witness, told the court about two CYC tailored shirts and an iPod touch.

She said at no point did Tey ask for the gifts from her and that she had given them to him on her own accord.

Tey put it to Ms Ko that he had paid her for those gifts, as well as for the dinner at Garibaldi, which had a bill dated 21 July 2010.

He said he had issued a cheque amounting to S$2,500 in July 2010 before she left for an overseas study stint.

This amount, he said, is slightly more than the value of the gifts mentioned in the first four charges.

But Ms Ko said no such cheque was given to her.

Tey then said he made out the cheque to Ms Ko but she didn't encash it.

So he paid her in cash, he said.

Lead prosecutor Mr Andre Jumabhoy raised doubts, pointing out that the cheque was dated early July 2010 while the dinner bill was dated 21 July.

He said Tey is purporting to pay for a dinner even before it had taken place. "It shows a remarkable ability on his part to establish not only future events but the price that such events entail," said Mr Jumabhoy.

The prosecutor also argued that Ms Ko's testimony that she did not receive the cheque caused "irreparable damage" to Tey's case.

Tey, a former district judge, faces allegations of obtaining gratification in the form of gifts and sex from Ms Ko between May and July 2010, in exchange for lifting her grades.

If convicted, he could be jailed up to five years and fined S$100,000.

- CNA/ck

 

[Zieler]

NUS law prof Tey contests 6 CPIB statements
By Claire Huang | Posted: 16 January 2013 1313 hrs

SINGAPORE: The National University of Singapore (NUS) law professor defending himself in the sex-for-grades corruption trial has contested the admissibility of his six statements to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

Tey Tsun Hang, 41, said they cannot be counted as evidence as they were made under duress.

A hearing to determine the admissibility of the statements, also known as trial within a trial, took place on Wednesday.

Tey faces six allegations that he obtained gifts and sex from his ex-student and then girlfriend, Ms Darinne Ko Wen Hui between May and July in 2010, in return for lifting her grades.

Prosecution's seventh witness, CPIB investigator Bay Chun How told the court that during the interview on April 2 last year, Tey Tsun Hang said he had "expected this day to come".

During the trial within a trial hearing, he said Tey had started out being "frank", "forthright" and "helpful", but turned silent when told of the allegations.

Mr Bay recalled Tey staring at his tie then looking up at him with "red and tearing" eyes.

In recounting the events of April 2, Mr Bay also told the court that Ms Ko revealed to them she had been pregnant.

He told the court he had returned to the bureau shortly before 10am that day after making a trip to Tey's house.

Before interviewing Tey, Mr Bay had wanted to find out what progress had been made.

That was when he learnt that Ms Ko was already giving information and had confirmed her sexual relationship with Tey, as well as the gifts.

He added that she had told the CPIB about her pregnancy and abortion.

The court heard that Tey became unwell during questioning on April 2 and was sent to the hospital in an ambulance.

While he was on sick leave, Mr Bay said Tey offered to go back to CPIB to record his statement.

When asked how he reacted towards Tey, bearing in mind he had just got out of hospital, Mr Bay said: "He looked well and wanted to give the statement."

Asked if the recording of the statement was made under threat, inducement or promises, Mr Bay flatly denied it, saying it is because Tey is an ex-public prosecutor and former judge.

Mr Bay had recorded one of six statements contested by Tey. His colleague Wilson Khoo recorded two statements, while Deputy Director Teng Khee Fatt recorded the other three.

A trial within trial takes place when the three men take the stand to testify.

With such a hearing, both the prosecution and defence will question the three CPIB staff to see if the statements were made under duress.

If so, the defence can then argue that the statements are inadmissible in court.

Earlier in the day, Tey continued his cross-examination of CPIB officer Png Chen Chen.

She was the one who interrogated Ms Ko.

Tey charged that Ms Png extracted the confession from Ms Ko under inducement, promises and threats, but the CPIB officer disagreed.

The trial continues with Mr Bay on the stand for a second day.

Ms Png was the prosecution's second witness.

A third prosecution witness, Mdm Lee Swee Khuen, also took the stand.

Mdm Lee is a senior associate director of the Human Resource Department of NUS.

She testified that NUS has a code of conduct, requiring staff to declare gifts as well as conflict of interests.

An issue raised by Tey on January 15 also surfaced during her testimony.

Tey had said he could not afford two forensic tests costing more than S$50,000 to verify handwriting and ink dating on his cheque book entries as he has been suspended since July last year.

On Wednesday, Mdm Lee told the court that Tey is still receiving his pay every month, even while on suspension.

MediaCorp understands that Tey is paid more than S$15,000 a month.

The fourth witness who testified was Ms Eileen Pang, senior associate director of financial services at NUS.

Other prosecution witnesses who testified in court were Mr Akira Goh of CYC Shanghai Shirt Company, and Mr De Costa Desmond Max, seller of the iPod Touch.

The trial continues with Mr Bay on the stand for a second day on Thursday.

- CNA/fa

 

[Zieler]

Sex-for-grades case: Darinne Ko had an 'abortion', says CPIB investigator

Published on Jan 16, 2013

Ms Darinne Ko Wen Hui had told officers from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) that she was pregnant but had an abortion. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

By Bryna Singh

Ms Darinne Ko had told officers from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) that she was pregnant but had an abortion, a court heard Wednesday.

This was revealed by Mr Bay Chun How, a chief special investigator with the bureau who had been tasked to look into the case against law professor Tey Tsun Hang.

Mr Bay said he had learned of Ms Ko's pregnancy and abortion on April 2 last year when both Ms Ko and Tey were picked up for questioning by CPIB officers.

He said that he had been directed on March 30 last year to investigate Tey.

On April 2, he proceeded to the National University of Singapore to pick Tey up for questioning but he was not there.

Mr Bay then proceeded to Tey's home but went back to the bureau's headquarters midway because of a heavy downpour. Another team was sent instead.

When he arrived back at CPIB, he heard that Ms Ko was already cooperating with other officers. He was told that Ms Ko said Tey had indeed been given gifts and sex, and she had also "confirmed a relationship" between them.

Mr Bay is the seventh prosecution witness to testify in the sex-for-grades corruption trial involving Tey. Ms Ko, who was Tey's former student at NUS, was the first.

The 41-year-old professor is facing six charges of corruptly obtaining gifts and sex from Ms Ko, 23. The items she gave him include a Montblanc pen, an iPod and two tailored shirts. She also paid for a dinner Tey hosted.

Last week, Ms Ko testified that she had lost her virginity to Tey on a couch in his NUS law school office on July 21, 2010. They had sex again there four days later, on the eve of her 21st birthday.

She also said that at some point in their relationship she had believed she and Tey were in love.

 

[andyfisher]

Ko looks like boy.

i sure cannot mari kita.

 

[Zieler]

Law professor in corruption trial still on full pay: NUS
01:29 PM Jan 16, 2013

SINGAPORE - The law professor who is presently involved in the sex-for-grades case is still on full pay by the National University of Singapore (NUS) after he was suspended from his duties last year.

This was revealed by the Senior Associate Director, Office of Human Resource Lee Swee Khuen of the NUS, who told the District Court this today after senior inspection investigator Png Chen Chen stood down as witness in the early afternoon.

Tey, 41, has been charged with six counts of obtaining gratifications in the form of sex and gifts from his former student, Ms Darinne Ko, 23, in exchange for better grades.

Before Ms Png stood down as a witness, she told the court that Ms Ko did not tell her that she was tired during the time she was recording her statements at the CPIB.

The trial continues later today.

AMANDA LEE

 

[Zieler]

Witness tells court Darinne Ko told CPIB about abortion

January 17, 2013 - 1:24am

By: Chai Hung Yin Rennie Whang

PICTURE: Gavin Foo

A Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) officer dropped a bombshell in court yesterday, revealing Miss Darinne Ko had told the Bureau that she was pregnant and had an abortion.

The 23-year-old is the prosecution’s star witness against law professor Tey Tsun Hang. The 41-year-old is accused of corruptly receiving gifts and sex from her in exchange for grades in 2010, when she was his student in the National University of Singapore.

CPIB chief special investigator Bay Chun How, who had been tasked with interviewing Tey, was called to the stand yesterday as the prosecution's first witness in a trial within the sex-for-grades trial.

Mr Akira Goh, the sales manager of CYC Shanghai Shirt Co who also testified yesterday, said the four shirts tendered as evidence in court were not tailored in his shop.

Read the full report in The New Paper on Thursday (Jan 17).

 

[Zieler]

CPIB: Ex-student was ‘forthcoming’ in making statement
16 January 2013 1:12 PM | Updated 2:16 PM

An officer from the anti-corruption agency told the court that ex-law student Darinne Ko (R) named other students who also gave gifts to law professor Tey Tsun Hang (L) when giving her statement (Photo: Screen grabs from YouTube)

The officer who took the statement of former law student Darinne Ko testified in court on Tuesday that she was “calm”, “forthcoming” and “cooperative” during questioning, TODAY newspaper reported.

This is in contrast to what Ko has been telling the court that she was forced into making parts of her statement at the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

Ko, 23, is the key witness in the corruption trial of law professor Tey Tsun Hang, 41, who is accused of obtaining sex and gifts from her and giving her better grades when she was his student at the National University of Singapore.

Channel NewsAsia reported that CPIB officer Png Chen Chen – who was the second witness to take the stand – said Ko was the one who told investigators voluntarily that four other former students had given gifts to Tey.

Among the ex-students are Colin Seow and Elaine Chew, who are now Assistant Registrars at the Supreme Court.

TODAY reported that Png took Ko’s statement at 9pm on 2 April 2012, more than 12 hours after she arrived at the bureau.

When Ko’s lawyers asked why her statement was not taken earlier, the officer said they were trying to get more information from her and to recover the gifts she had mentioned, such as a S$740 Montblanc pen, S$230 worth of CYC tailor-made shirts, and an iPod Touch.

It took five hours to record the statement because there were "certain events and dates" that Ko needed "some time to recall", TODAY reported.

When she appeared tired, the officer asked if she needed a break, but Ko did not want one.

Png said Ko was cooperative and there were no difficulties recording her statement. Ko made some changes after recording the statement and stated that she did not want to testify in court.

B+ GRADES

Earlier during the court hearings, when Ko was cross-examined by the accused himself, she testified that Tey did not ask for gifts from her and she had decided to give them on her own accord.

She also said he did not give her the impression that he could improve her grades, her career prospects, or give her a job reference, TODAY reported.

Ko said she scored "B+" for all the three private law subjects that she took in her second year at the university – equity and trust, which was taught by Tey, as well as property law and company law that were not taught by him.

In her final year, Ko said she picked Tey to supervise her research in international insolvency and she scored an "A". She said she never suspected that her grade was a "reward" from Tey.

In giving her testimony, CPIB officer Png said Ko told her that she expected Tey to protect her and not give her a failing grade because he was her boyfriend.

CHEQUE PAYMENTS

On Tuesday, Tey – who has been suspended from work at the university since July 2012 – produced cheque-book entries as evidence that he later paid for the gifts and an Italian dinner that he was accused of corruptly receiving from Ko, Channel NewsAsia reported.

He claimed that he returned S$2,500 to her and issued the cheque in July 2010, but Ko told the court: "Based on my recollection, no such cheque was given to me. That's different from whether I even remember that a cheque was given to me.”

Tey argued that even though he issued the cheque, Ko did not encash it and so he issued a cash cheque to her.

Ko said she did not receive the second payment either.

Tey asked the court to order a forensic ink-dating test and a handwriting comparison analysis on the cheque entries to prove that they were made by him.

Prosecution pointed out that Tey’s cheque was dated 2 July 2010 when the dinner bill was dated 21 July 2010, casting doubt on how Tey could anticipate paying for a dinner that had not yet taken place.

Ko has completed her testimonies in court as a witness. The trial is expected to see more than 10 witnesses take the stand and is set to last until 22 January.

 

[Zieler]

NUS law prof challenges CPIB officer in sex-for-grades trial
By Claire Huang | Posted: 17 January 2013 2159 hrs

SINGAPORE: The law professor on trial for corruption in a sex-for-grades case on Thursday cross-examined an anti-graft officer on the admissibility of one of six statements. The procedure is also known as a "trial within a trial".

Tey Tsun Hang challenged Bay Chun How to prove his case that his statement given to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) was made under duress.

If he can prove this, he will able to argue that the evidence cannot be admitted in court and this would weaken the prosecution's case.

On the sixth day of the closely-watched trial, several allegations were made against CPIB officer Bay Chun How, who recorded one of six of Tey's statements.

Tey had been picked up by Mr Bay on 2 April last year to help with investigations, but he became ill and was said to be vomiting.

Tey was sent to Alexandra Hospital in an ambulance.

Tey has charged that Mr Bay had been eager to haul him back to the CPIB on 5 April, to record a statement, even though he was still on medical leave.

But the senior officer pointed out that it was Tey who "insisted on giving (the) statement".

Later, when re-examined by the prosecution on whether he had asked how Tey was feeling during the interview, Mr Bay said: "No. He looked fine, clear-headed."

During the interrogation, Tey, a former district judge, said he showed Mr Bay his medication, but was still forced to make a confession. Mr Bay firmly denied this.

At one point in time, Tey claimed that Mr Bay threatened to place his wife under arrest. Mr Bay disagreed.

Tey's other allegations include Mr Bay swearing at him and placing him in a "very cold interrogation cell" on 2 April. Mr Bay denied having sworn at Tey.

As for the interrogation cell, he said: "The air-con controller was mounted on the wall for you to adjust."

During prosecution's re-examination, Mr Bay also shed light on the time when Tey fell ill.

He told the court his colleague reported to him that Tey was vomiting. "I was expecting to see pale face, bad content on the floor, vomit, but I saw none of those," said Mr Bay.

Prosecutor Kok Shu-En asked: "So what did you see?"

"I saw the accused holding on to a clear plastic bag and trying to vomit something into the bag. The bag had only a few mouthfuls of saliva inside," said Mr Bay.

Mr Bay also told the court on the day when Tey was sent to the hospital, the paramedics who came to pick him up were grumbling.

He said Tey had insisted on being wheeled out to the ambulance, despite being mobile.

Several times during the hearing, the Chief District Judge Tan Siong Thye would remind Tey to focus when it seemed like he was deviating from the purpose of showing the court that his statement is inadmissible.

Tey's repetitive questioning and the fact that Mr Bay did not answer questions directly also slowed down the pace of the trial.

Five other statements of Tey are being disputed.

Two were recorded by CPIB officer Wilson Khoo, who testified in court as the prosecution's eighth witness on Thursday.

The remaining three were recorded by CPIB Deputy Director Teng Khee Fatt.

Tey faces six allegations of obtaining gratification in the form of gifts and sex from his former student, Ms Darinne Ko, between May and July in 2010, in exchange for giving her better grades.

- CNA/xq

 

[Zieler]

NUS prof Tey questions CPIB officer in "trial within a trial"
By Claire Huang | Posted: 17 January 2013 1125 hrs

SINGAPORE: The law professor on trial for corruption in a sex-for-grades case is cross-examining an anti-graft officer on the admissibility of one of six statements -- in what is called a "trial within a trial".

Tey Tsun Hang is questioning Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) Chief Special Investigator Bay Chun How to prove his case that the statement given to CPIB was made under duress.

If he can prove this, Tey will be able to argue that the evidence cannot be admitted in court. This would weaken the prosecution's case.

Five other statements of Tey's are being disputed. Two were recorded by CPIB officer Wilson Khoo and three by Deputy Director Teng Khee Fatt.

They are expected to take the stand in the "trial within a trial".

Tey, 41, faces six allegations of obtaining gratification in the form of gifts and sex from his former student, Ms Darinne Ko, between May and July 2010, in exchange for lifting her grades.

-CNA/ac