Ong Beng Seng to be sentenced on Aug 15

Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng pleaded guilty on Aug 4 to abetting the obstruction of justice in a case linked to former transport minister S. Iswaran.

- Nadine Chua

Ong, 79, is expected to be sentenced on Aug 15. His bail of $800,000 has been extended.

The prosecution acknowledged that while eight weeks' imprisonment would ordinarily be warranted, judicial mercy should be exercised in this case due to Ong's incurable medical conditions.

Imprisonment would result in an increased risk of endangering his life, added the prosecution.

In 2020, Ong was diagnosed with advanced multiple myeloma, a cancer that affects white blood cells, which are crucial to the body's immune response.

His lawyer, Senior Counsel Cavinder Bull, said Ong suffers from a devastating cocktail of medical problems, and imprisoning him would dramatically increase life-threatening risks for him.

Addressing the court on Ong's abetment of obstruction of justice offence, the prosecuting team said Ong asked Mr Iswaran in December 2022 if the then minister would like to join him on a trip to Qatar.

Ong told Mr Iswaran that he would be his guest, travelling on his private jet. The businessman added that he would take care of all of Mr Iswaran's expenses for the trip.

Mr Iswaran accepted his offer.

On Dec 10, 2022, Mr Iswaran travelled to Doha, Qatar, on Ong's private jet, with the flight valued at around US$7,700 (S$10,410.40, as stated in court documents).

Mr Iswaran checked into the Four Seasons Hotel, which cost $4,737.63 for a one-night stay.

The prosecution said Mr Iswaran did not pay for his flight to Doha or hotel accommodation, and the hotel accommodation was paid for by Singapore GP on Ong's instructions.

After one night in Doha, Mr Iswaran returned to Singapore on a business-class flight valued at $5,700, which Singapore GP also paid for.