A Singapore court sentenced former minister S. Iswaran to 12 months in prison on Thursday for obstructing justice and accepting over $300,000 in gifts. This marks the first time an ex-cabinet member has been jailed in the city-state, which is known for its clean governance.
Iswaran, who served in the cabinet for 13 years, holding key portfolios such as trade, communications, and transport, pleaded guilty to four counts of receiving improper gifts and one count of obstructing justice. The court granted him bail for the next few days before he begins his sentence on Monday.
This case has shocked Singapore, a country that consistently ranks among the world’s least corrupt nations, including being in the top five in Transparency International’s corruption perception index last year. The last time a Singaporean minister faced corruption allegations was in 1986, but the accused died before being charged.
The investigation into Iswaran involved claims that, as transport minister, he accepted expensive gifts from businessmen, such as tickets to English Premier League matches, the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, London musicals, and a private jet ride. These gifts were valued at more than 400,000 Singapore dollars ($309,000), according to the prosecution. Iswaran initially maintained his innocence but eventually pleaded guilty to five charges, two of which were initially corruption-related but were reduced to receiving gifts. Of the 35 offenses he was originally charged with, the prosecution pursued only five.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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