A former minister in Singapore has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for obstructing justice and receiving gifts worth over $300,000. This marks the first time an ex-cabinet member has been jailed in the city-state known for its clean governance.
S. Iswaran, who served as a cabinet member for 13 years and held various portfolios including trade, communications, and transport, pleaded guilty to four counts of improperly receiving gifts and one count of obstructing justice.
The 62-year-old Iswaran will be allowed to remain on bail for a few days before commencing his jail term on Monday.
This case has sent shockwaves through Singapore, a country that prides itself on its well-paid and efficient bureaucracy and strong governance with minimal corruption. Transparency International's corruption perception index ranked Singapore among the top five least corrupt countries last year.
The last corruption scandal involving a Singaporean minister dates back to 1986 when a national development minister was investigated for alleged bribery but passed away before facing any charges.
The recent investigation focused on allegations that Iswaran, during his tenure as transport minister, accepted extravagant gifts from businessmen, including tickets to English Premier League soccer matches, the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, London musicals, and a ride on a private jet. The total value of these gifts exceeded 400,000 Singapore dollars ($309,000), according to the prosecution.
Iswaran resigned as transport minister shortly after being charged in January, initially maintaining his innocence and vowing to clear his name. However, he eventually pleaded guilty to the five charges brought before the court, two of which were initially corruption-related but later amended to charges of receiving gifts.
While the prosecution initially brought forward 35 offenses, only five were pursued in court.
