September 21, 2016, 02:27 PM 
One of the mainstays of the current City Harvest Church leaders' appeal against their collective conviction and sentencing, is the rather quick-witted Deputy Public Prosecutor Christopher Ong.
On Wednesday morning Sept. 21 session, the DPP listed out his proposed jail terms for the CHC leaders who are appealing for leniency.
Kong Hee : 8 years to 11 to 12 years (A potential 4 years increase)
Chew Eng Han : 6 years to 11 to 12 years (A potential 6 years increase)
Tan Ye Peng: 5.5 years to 11 to 12 years (A potential 6 1/2 years increase)
Serina Wee : 5 years to 11 to 12 years (A potential 7 years increase)
John Lam: 3 years to 8 to 9 years (A potential 5 years increase)
Sharon Tan: 21 months to 5 to 6 years (A potential 4 years 3 months increase)
That adds up to a mind-boggling 32 years and 8 months potential increase in jail terms for the six of them.
Why so serious?
DPP Ong explained why he sought that much of an increased sentence from the trial judge's original verdict.
DPP Ong claimed that the trial judge had "untethered his sentencing from his moorings."
If you're not a yacht enthusiast, it basically means Ong believed the trial judge had placed too much weight on there not being any permanent losses to the Church, and the leaders not benefiting financially from it.
A defence that has been presented many times during this appeal.
That was, according to Ong, besides the point.
Instead, he focused on the amount of money (S$24 million) diverted into sham bonds, and another S$26 million misappropriated, to cover up the first amount so the auditors wouldn't find out.
Best analogy
Feeling a bit confused by the yachting terms, and exorbitant sums of money?
No fear, because DPP Ong came up with the perfect analogy for why he felt they deserved a harsher sentence.
He said:
"If I offer you a Ferrari free of charge, you will take it. If I tell you I'll give you a Ferrari, but I'm using your money to pay for it - you may not be supportive of it. That's the point I'm trying to make."
Deep.
The hearing continues in the afternoon where the six leaders will respond to the prosecution.
Top image from City News
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