Durai may walk free
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SINGAPORE: There has been a major development in the trial against
former National Kidney Foundation's chief T.T. Durai.
Thursday is Day 16 of the criminal trial and it appears that Durai
may walk free, at least on this particular charge, if the ongoing
case is thrown out next week.
From proceedings, this may happen following the many discrepancies
in statements by the prosecution's star witness, David Tan.
But two more witnesses have yet to take the stand.
Mr Tan was not in court on Thursday.
But the focus of the trial was still on his contradictory
statements about the S$20,000 he had received from Durai.
And during the last ten minutes of the session, District Judge
Aedit Abdullah said: "The Board of NKF did seem to have given Durai
lots of leeway and this may impact the charge."
Durai's charge is based on the intent to deceive the old NKF.
But if NKF, as the judge noted, had given Durai the leeway, then
Durai can be regarded as the NKF itself.
And this means, it is not possible for Durai to have the intent to
deceive himself.
So the charge cannot be substantiated.
The judge also said: "One possibility is that we will accept one
version or I can conclude at the end of the day, he (David Tan)
cannot be believed at all."
If Mr Tan's entire testimony cannot be used, it could mean that the
case may be thrown out.
The trial continues on Friday.
stupid new paper, they have to eat their words, already, if Mr
Durai was to win the case.
