SINGAPORE – The Chief District Judge said he finds it hard to
believe the law professor's claims that the Corrupt Practices
Investigation Bureau (CPIB) threatened him into confessing.
In deciding whether Tey Tsun Hang's six statements to the CPIB
were made voluntarily or not, judge Tan Siong Thye said he is "of
the view the accused had fabricated and exaggerated some of the
evidence".
A key issue raised in the judge's 45-minute oral grounds for
decision was why Tey did not complain about the CPIB officers to
anyone.
If Tey's claims that the CPIB coerced him into making statements
were true, the judge asked why Tey did not lodge a police report
then.
Judge Tan said it is difficult to believe that Tey was coerced
on all six occasions as he had opportunity to seek advice from his
Dean from the law faculty at the National University of Singapore,
as well as his fellow law professors.
He pointed out that there is no evidence that Tey had told the
Alexandra Hospital medical team of the harsh CPIB treatment, so
that the doctors could have taken some form of action.
Given that Tey was a former district judge, a former state
counsel and a law professor, the judge said the accused should have
known what he could have done.
The judge added that if Tey's claims were true, one would expect
him to be subjected to the same harsh treatment when he made the
cautioned statement, which listed the allegations against the
CPIB.
He added that if the allegations were true, the CPIB officers
would have recorded Tey's statement on 9 April 2012, when he went
to the CPIB headquarters after leaving the hospital.
Instead, the judge pointed out that Tey was told to go back as
he said he was not feeling well.
As for the alleged threats to arrest his wife, the judge said
even if they were true, they were empty threats, simply because
Tey's wife was overseas at that time and such arrests were not
under CPIB's jurisdiction.
The other key issue relates to Tey's claims that he was on
psychoactive medication during the period when he recorded the six
statements.
Judge Tan said despite Tey being on medication, he could still
recall "a tremendous amount" of detail of what took place.
The judge said the medication did not appear to affect Tey's
mind as he had claimed.
As for Tey's claims that he was badgered, the judge said
persistent questioning is part of essential interrogation and some
discomfort is to be expected.
In this case, the judge said there is no evidence there was
prolonged and harsh badgering which could result in oppression.
The judge added that Tey had three accounts of the allegations
and the "shifting defence makes his case less likely to be
believed".
Now that the CPIB statements are admitted, the main corruption
trial will continue.
Tey, 41, faces allegations of corruptly obtaining gifts and sex
from his former student, 23-year-old Darinne Ko, in return for
lifting her grades sometime between May and July 2010.
- CNA/ck
