PUI
AH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Former chief
finance director Serina Wee, 35, arriving at the subordinate courts
with her husband Kenny Low (in white, right). (Yahoo!
photo/Jeanette Tan)
UPDATED 25 July 9:30pm: to include Kong Hee's
statement
City Harvest Church (CHC) founder Kong Hee
has expressed his confidence that he will be
vindicated.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday evening,
Kong Hee, who has been accused in relation to alleged misuse of
church funds said, “I do maintain my integrity, and will rigorously
defend that integrity against these charges”, which he said he had
carefully considered with his lawyers.
“I have and will continue to place my faith and
trust in our judicial system,” Kong continued. “I will explain the
facts and circumstances to the Court, and am confident that I will
be vindicated.”
Earlier on Wednesday, a sixth person was charged in
the high-profile
misappropriation case involving Kong and
four other key church members.
35-year-old Serina Wee, formerly the church's chief
finance director, was on Wednesday morning charged with six counts
of criminal breach of trust and four for falsification of
accounts.
She had her charges read to her as Kong, deputy
pastor Tan Ye Peng, church board member John Lam, former finance
manager Sharon Tan and investment manager Chew Eng Han stood in
front of her for the second court mention of their respective
charges.
Like the others, Wee's police bail was posted at
S$500,000, and her passport was impounded.
As for the earlier accused, public prosecutors
discussed and agreed with lawyers representing the five to postpone
their next appearance in court by five weeks, so that Wee's charges
can be next discussed alongside theirs.
Furthermore, defence counsel for all six said on
Wednesday that their clients would not likely be pleading guilty --
which means they are likely to claim trial.
Representing Kong is Member of Parliament Edwin
Tong, partner at Allen & Gledhill, while the others have since
their first appearance engaged senior counsel to defend them in
court -- a sign that the upcoming trial will be a costly
one.
Pre-trial conferences for all six cases will be held
on 30 August.
City Harvest Church founder and senior pastor Kong Hee,
47, arriving in court. He was this time not
accompanied …
The church members arrived at court on Wednesday
morning one by one, between 8:30am and 8:55am, when 47-year-old
Kong arrived.
Kong was this time not accompanied by his wife Ho
Yeow Sun, better
known as singer Sun Ho.
The atmosphere at court appeared significantly
calmer compared to the
first time the five were charged, as supporters
from the church arrived quietly in groups between as early as
7:45am and gathered in an orderly fashion outside the
courtroom.
Supporters were more muted during the group's exit
after their court mention as well, and there were few signs of any
scuffles between them and members of the media.
Kong, Tan Ye Peng, Sharon Tan, Lam and Chew
were charged
at the end of last month for between three
and 10 counts of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of
funds amounting to the tune of some S$24 million, with further
charges of conspiring to use another S$26.6 million to cover up the
initial misappropriation.
The initial S$24 million amount was allegedly used
to fund Ho's singing career.
Each of their charges carries the maximum penalty of
life imprisonment and a fine.
With additional reporting by Gail
Chai
