Karl Liew charged with giving false evidence in Parti Liyani court case
SINGAPORE — The son of former Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong was charged in the State Courts on Thursday (5 November) with giving false information to a police officer in a statement and lying under oath while testifying in a trial involving his family’s former maid Parti Liyani.
Karl Liew Kai Lung, 43, appeared in court with a female companion believed to be his wife, Heather Lim.
Sporting a limp, Liew was asked if he needed to be seated in court but chose to remain standing as the charges against him were read out. His lawyer Adam Maniam asked the court for an adjournment, as the matters occurred quite some time ago between 2016 and 2018.
Liew is accused of lying to an assistant superintendent, Tang Ru Long in a statement made on 10 December 2016 around 8pm at a house along Chancery Lane, by stating that he had found 119 pieces of clothing that belong to him within boxes packed by Parti in an alleged case of theft on 28 October 2016, committed by Parti at his father’s house.
He is also charged with lying under oath during Parti Liyani’s trial, presided by District Judge Olivia Low, on 17 July 2018 in the State Courts. He allegedly falsely identified a cream polo T-shirt and a red blouse as his during the proceedings.
The case will next be mentioned on 17 December.
When approached by the media outside of court, Liew and his female companion declined to comment.
If convicted of giving false evidence in a judicial proceeding, Liew faces up to seven years in jail, and a fine. If convicted of giving false information in relation to the commission of an offence, to a public servant, he faces up to three years, or a fine, or both.
Law Minister’s statement in Parliament
Liew’s charges come after a day after Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam delivered a ministerial statement about the case, noting the High Court’s comments on Liew’s evidence. The High Court had found Liew’s evidence relating to items that Parti allegedly stole from him suspect and inconsistent.
During Parti’s trial between 23 April 2018 and 17 January 2019, Liew did not clearly identify some pieces of clothing, including a black dress, as having been in his possession.
When questioned about certain female clothing allegedly stolen by Parti, Liew also claimed that these belonged to him and that he sometimes wore female T-shirts.
Although Liew had claimed ownership over a Gucci wallet and a Braun Buffel wallet that he said were gifts to him from his family, none of his family members could recall giving him the wallets.
Among the other items found in boxes Parti had intended to ship home were also a Helix watch which Liew claimed was a gift from his father. His father later denied owning the watch. He also claimed to have bought a bedsheet from the UK but this was unverified by Liew’s wife, who denied having seen the bedsheet in her room or her bed.
Another pink knife that Liew claimed he bought before 2002 was later determined to have been manufactured after 2002.
He also claimed a damaged Gerald Genta watch was valued at $25,000 despite its broken strap and missing button-knob. A defence witness later valued the watch at $500 due to its defects.
Following the observations by the High Court, the Attorney-General’s Chambers directed the police to conduct further investigations into the Liews.
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