Hougang United chairman Bill Ng and his wife Bonnie
Wong, Football Association of Singapore (FAS) general secretary
Winston Lee, and ex-FAS president Zainudin Nordin were arrested by
the police, and are currently out on police bail, TODAY
understands.
The quartet are assisting the Commercial Affairs
Department (CAD) with the probe into the suspected misuse of funds
at the Tiong Bahru Football Club (TBFC), which Ng owns, and an
attempt by a senior club official to obstruct the completion of
audits of the S.League’s sit-out clubs.
Ng’s lawyer, Shashi Nathan of Withers KhattarWong
confirmed last Friday (April 21) that the 57-year-old
businessman is assisting the police with their inquiries. The
Straits Times reported on Tuesday said the bail for Ng had been set
at S$100,000.
TODAY understands, however, that the four individuals –
Ng, Lee, Zainudin and Wong – have not been charged by the
police.
Lawyers and legal experts that TODAY spoke to confirmed
that people have to be arrested first to be offered police bail.
The bail is to ensure they will return for further
investigations.
The State Courts of Singapore also states on its
website: “An accused may be offered police bail after his arrest
and before he is charged in Court.”
The ongoing drama that rocked the local sports
fraternity began almost two weeks ago, when Ng revealed at a press
conference for Team Game Changers – the team led by Ng for the
inaugural FAS elections – that he had donated S$500,000 to the
FAS.
The money was made out to the Asean Football
Federation’s (AFF) Football Management System via the FAS.
That then escalated into a public spat between Ng and
Lee, with the former insisting that it was Lee and not Zainudin who
had requested for the donation. Lee then produced documents proving
that it was Ng and Zainudin who had corresponded over the
donation.
A police report lodged by Sport Singapore (SportSG)
subsequently saw a raid on the FAS headquarters at Jalan Besar
Stadium, and three football clubs linked to Ng: Hougang United,
TBFC, and Woodlands Wellington.
Ng, Wong, Lee and Zainudin were subsequently questioned
by the CAD, and all four are currently out on bail.
Even as the saga continues to develop, the FAS remains
on course for a landmark election on April 29 which will see 44
affiliates coming together to vote for the sport’s leaders.
Led by Ng, Team Game Changers are up against Team LKT
helmed by former FAS vice-president Lim Kia Tong, in the fight for
the mandate to lead the sport for the next four years.
todayonline