by Khushwant Singh
HE COULD have been jailed for up to five years for attempting to
bribe a police officer but Gwee Teck Hee was fined $10,000 instead
yesterday.
The 57-year-old, who had both his diseased kidneys removed in
1999, is suffering from end-stage renal failure and requires
dialysis three times a week.
Defence counsel Lok Vi Ming had argued that the prison
authorities may not be able to provide the level of medical
attention required for an inmate with such a serious medical
condition.
Any disruption or complication in the dialysis treatments may
have potentially fatal consequences, warned Senior Counsel Lok.
The prosecution also did not press for a prison sentence in the
light of Gwee's medical condition.
The maximum punishment for corruption is a five-year jail term
and a $100,000 fine.
