10/22/2018 Ex-CHC leader Chew Eng Han admitted he sought to leave Singapore, as he 'felt injustice' in High Court case,

rt case, Courts & Crime Ne…

Ex-CHC leader Chew Eng Han

admitted he sought to leave
Singapore, as he 'felt injustice'
in High Court case

Former City Harvest Church fund manager Chew Eng Han leaving the State Courts in a police vehicle on Feb 22,
2018. PHOTO: ST FILE

PUBLISHED SEP 24, 2018, 4:19 PM SGT

Shaffiq Idris Alkhatib

SINGAPORE - Former City Harvest Church (CHC) leader Chew Eng Han admitted
during investigations that he had sought to leave Singapore, as he "felt injustice"
over his High Court case involving the misuse of church funds, a district court
heard on Monday (Sept 24).

On the first day of his trial, Deputy Public Prosecutor Christopher Ong said Chew,
58, had also stated during investigations that he did "not want to be convicted".
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10/22/2018 Ex-CHC leader Chew Eng Han admitted he sought to leave Singapore, as he 'felt injustice' in High Court case, Courts & Crime Ne…

He allegedly attempted to leave Singapore at the north-eastern part of Pulau Ubin,

which is an unauthorised point of departure, at 8.47am on Feb 21.

Chew is accused of committing this offence one day before he was to begin serving
his jail term of three years and four months for his role in the misuse of church
funds to the tune of millions of dollars.

He is also said to have attempted to defeat the course of justice by boarding a

motorised boat at Pulau Ubin jetty earlier that morning.

Chew was originally sentenced in 2015 to six years' jail for his earlier offences but
this was reduced to three years and four months by the High Court in April last
year. The shortened term was upheld by the Court of Appeal on Feb 1.
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Five other CHC leaders - including founder-pastor Kong Hee - who were
also convicted of misusing church funds, began serving their terms in April last
year. Chew started serving his sentence for his earlier offences on March 1 this year.

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10/22/2018 Ex-CHC leader Chew Eng Han admitted he sought to leave Singapore, as he 'felt injustice' in High Court case, Courts & Crime Ne…

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On Monday, DPPs Ong and Eugene Sng stated in their opening statement that
Chew had made arrangements to leave Singapore illegally.

They said in the statement: "This entailed travelling in the boat towards four fish
farms in Singapore waters in the vicinity of north-east Pulau Ubin, which are close
to the boundary between Singapore and Malaysian waters."

Shortly after midnight on Feb 21, Chew received a call asking him to go to Changi
Village at 7.30am. His older brother picked him up from his home around 6.45am
and drove him there.

Chew made a phone call and was told to take a boat to Pulau Ubin jetty, as police
patrol boats had been seen in the vicinity.

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10/22/2018 Ex-CHC leader Chew Eng Han admitted he sought to leave Singapore, as he 'felt injustice' in High Court case, Courts & Crime Ne…

DPP Ong told District Judge Victor Yeo that Chew took a boat to the island and
boarded another vessel at a jetty there at 8.19am that day.

Police Coast Guard team leader Lam Kok Wah said in a statement that he received a
call on his mobile phone at 5.40am on Feb 21 informing him that an "unknown
individual" would be attempting to leave Singapore illegally from the vicinity of
Changi in a boat.

DPP Sng, who read out the statement, said Inspector Lam spotted the vessel in the
waters off Pulau Ubin at 8.43am and Police Coast Guard officers intercepted it.

Officers then arrested the two people on it - Chew and Singaporean fish farm owner
Tan Poh Teck, 53.

The court heard on Monday that Chew, represented by lawyer Adrian Wee, had
decided not to give his testimony in court. Judge Yeo is expected to give his verdict
on Nov 13.

Tan was sentenced to 27 weeks' jail in July.

Two Malaysian men were also jailed earlier this year for their roles in helping Chew
in his alleged escape bid. Private tour guide Tan Kim Ho, 42, and freelance driver
Khoo Kea Leng, 45, were each sentenced to six months' jail.

Chew 's older brother Chew Eng Soon has not been charged in court.

RELATED STORIES:

Jail for two men linked to ex- Former City Harvest Church
City Harvest Church leader leader Chew Eng Han
Chew Eng Han's alleged charged with intentionally
escape bid trying to defeat course of
justice

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