Chew Eng Han to start jail term after remand period: Court of Appeal
Former City Harvest Church (CHC) leader Chew Eng Han will start serving his jail term on 1 March after he completes his one-week remand period.
This was ordered by the Court of Appeal during an urgent hearing held on Tuesday (27 February), said media reports.
If Chew happens to be further remanded for investigations, however, he will begin his sentence after the remand period, said the Apex Court.
Chew is currently in remand to facilitate ongoing investigations into his alleged attempt to flee the country, a day before he was to commence his sentence of three years and four months for his role in the misappropriation of some $50 million in CHC funds.
The 57-year-old was charged last Thursday with one count of leaving Singapore for Malaysia from an unauthorised point of departure by a motorised sampan. He was caught in the waters off Pulau Ubin on Wednesday morning. Chew was out on bail of $1 million at the point.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Zhongshan urged the Court of Appeal to order that Chew’s sentence begin when he is produced in the State Courts and the District Judge does not order his further remand.
He added that Chew’s situation was of his own doing and that he should not be allowed to commence his sentence while investigations into another offence were ongoing. DPP Tan said that the police would need access to Chew, who is currently being held in remand at the Central Police Division.
Chew’s lawyer Jonathan Phipps said that Chew’s sentence should begin while he is behind bars, and noted that Chew was in court the day that he was supposed to surrender.
However, the argument was rejected by the Apex Court which said that Chew had not surrendered willingly.
On Monday, Malaysian Khoo Kea Leang, 45, was arrested in Malaysia in relation to Chew’s escape attempt, bringing the number of Chew’s alleged accomplices to three.
Chew’s elder brother, 61-year-old Chew Eng Soon, was arrested last Wednesday after allegedly abetting his brother to flee the country. The elder Chew has yet to be charged in court and is out on bail.
Tan Poh Teck, the 53-year-old boatman who was piloting Chew’s escape vessel, was also arrested last Wednesday alongside Chew. Tan has been charged with one count of abetting Chew to leave Singapore via boat.
Related stories:
Third man arrested over Chew Eng Han’s attempted sampan escape
Chew Eng Han and his sampan adrift in sea of puns
Elder brother of Chew Eng Han out on bail over ex-City Harvest leader’s escape attempt
City Harvest saga: Chew Eng Han and accomplice charged over failed attempt to leave Singapore
