Ong Beng Seng pleads guilty, prosecution accepts grounds for judicial mercy due to incurable cancer

Billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng, 79, pleaded guilty to abetment of obstruction of justice in a case relating to former Transport Minister S Iswaran.

Sentencing will take place on Aug. 15.

The Prosecution submitted that a prison sentence of eight weeks would ordinarily have been appropriate.

According to medical reports tendered in Court, the prosecution noted that Ong suffers from advanced multiple myeloma, which is an incurable form of cancer which has damaged his skeletal system and severely compromised his immune system, making him vulnerable to life-threatening infections.

The prosecution said that given the exceptional and severe medical conditions that Ong faces, they accept that there are grounds for the Court’s exercise of judicial mercy, and that a fine would be appropriate in lieu of the custodial sentence that would ordinarily be called for.

Should the Court exercise judicial mercy, the prosecution said they would not object to imposing the maximum fine (S$30,000) as an alternative sentence.

In the event judicial mercy is found not applicable, the Prosecution said they accept Ong's medical condition could be considered a significant mitigating factor in sentencing.

The prosecution raised some aggravating factors, including the serious nature of investigations that were obstructed, and Ong’s actions in facilitating Iswaran, noting that he had alerted Iswaran to the investigations.

Defence

The defence said Ong had a "tremendously" serious medical condition. They cited a Harvard medical school professor as saying Ong had one of the most complex and high-risk cases of multiple myeloma.

Saying that while Ong's team of medical doctors might be able to react quickly to his condition, that might not be the case in prison.

They also noted that he might be more likely to get an infection in prison.

The defence also brought up issues regarding his spine, saying the "strength of his spine was severely compromised", which was why he had a metal rod inserted.

The defence also said that his hands and legs were functionally paralysed. They said there is a high risk of endangerment to Ong's life in prison.

They also said that Ong suffers from diarrhoea due to his medication and called it a "daily life-threatening disability".

Background

The former minister was investigated by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) when his name surfaced incidentally during a separate probe involving the property tycoon.

The trial that followed eventually led to Iswaran serving a 12-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges relating to receiving gifts as a public servant.

Ong faced two charges, with the first charge relating to Ong instigating Iswaran to join him on a trip to Doha in December 2022, valued at around S$20,000.

The trip included a private flight from Singapore to Doha, a one-night stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha, and a business class return flight to Singapore.

The second charge concerned the abetment of obstruction of justice, where Ong aided Iswaran in making a delayed payment of S$5,700 to Singapore GP Pte Ltd for the business class ticket after Iswaran's name was discovered by the CPIB.

In ordinary circumstances, an offender found guilty of the abetment of obstruction of justice can be jailed for up to seven years, fined, or both.

Top image via Andrew Koay/Mothership