Ong Beng Seng to plead guilty at later date in Iswaran-linked case

Lawyers asked court for more time to obtain property tycoon's medical reports

- Samuel Devaraj

Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng will plead guilty at a later date in the case linked to former transport minister S. Iswaran after Ong's lawyers asked for more time to obtain his medical reports.

Ong, 79, was scheduled to plead guilty on April 2 to one count of abetting the obstruction of justice.

A spokesperson for Ong said the billionaire's lawyers had asked at a pre-trial conference on March 26 for more time to obtain detailed reports from his doctors on his medical condition, and the ongoing monitoring and treatment required.

Said the spokesperson: "This will ensure that all relevant information can be presented to, and appropriately considered by, the prosecution and the court.

"As such, the plea of guilty mention, which was earlier fixed on April 2, will be moved to a later date — to be fixed once the medical reports are obtained."