Kong Hee still living in Sentosa Cove penthouse

The property was supposed to be on sale.

Belmont Lay | April 16, 2017, 02:43 PM

Kong Hee and Sun Ho are still living in The Oceanfront duplex penthouse, a Sentosa Cove property valued at S$10 million.

According to The Sunday Times, Kong, 52 and Ho, 44, and their son, have not moved out of the property that is co-owned with Indonesian tycoon Wahju Hanafi.

ST said Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore records show the house remains under the names of Kong and Hanafi.

The duo bought the apartment for S$9.33 million in 2007. The monthly instalment each of them paid was S$17,000. The 5,242 sq ft duplex unit is on the 11th floor.

In 2015, in the midst of the City Harvest Church trial, Kong said the Sentosa Cove property was a temporary home. His family had to move in as they had put their other properties on sale to pay legal fees.

The Sentosa Cove home was also listed for sale then with an asking price of S$10 million, but it remained unsold as Singapore's property market cooled.

However, ST said sources said the property has since been taken off the market. No reasons were reported.

There is no doubt the church leader still has access to the apartment as a March 2017 video by CHC showed Kong, Ho and church members seated at a balcony overlooking Sentosa.

This news of Kong holding on to the most upmarket property in Singapore is bound to raise eyebrows.

Latest estimates of the legal fees all six CHC leaders are incurring could possibly run up to S$15 million.

Moreover, a note on CHC's website said church members could help the six defendants with their legal fees:

"As you can imagine, their families have many needs... While the church is restricted by the authorities from helping them to pay for their legal fees, individual members are free to support them. As always, keep them and their families in prayer."

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