City Harvest Church member applies for permission to
leave country
SINGAPORE: One of the senior church members
embroiled in the City Harvest Church case was in court on Thursday
to apply for permission to go overseas.
Investment manager Chew Eng Han told reporters that
his application had been granted.
His bail has been increased to S$1 million.
He was previously out on bail of S$500,000.
Chew would not say where he was going or for how long, except that
it would be for multiple trips.
He told reporters at court "life goes on for me and I've every
reason to be upbeat."
In July, church founder Kong Hee was also granted permission to
travel.
Chew is one of six members of the church to face charges in what is
believed to be the largest financial scandal to hit Singapore's
charity sector to date.
Some S$24 million was allegedly transferred from the church's
building fund account to two companies as bond investments.
These were alleged to be "sham transactions" meant to mask the
diversion of the church's building fund to finance the music career
of Ho Yeow Sun, wife of Kong Hee.
A further sum of S$26.6 million was allegedly used to create the
impression that the sham bonds had been fully "redeemed", a process
called "round-tripping".
Their lawyers will be back in court on October 4.
- CNA/ck
