Judge dismisses City Harvest manager's application to hire a Queen's Counsel

[Extremist]

SINGAPORE - Judge of Appeal V K Rajah has dismissed the application of City Harvest investment manager Chew Eng Han to engage a Queen's Counsel (QC) to defend his case.

Justice V K Rajah said that this is not an "appropriate case" of engaging foreign expert counsel. He added that Mr P. E. Ashokan did not prove that there is no "exceptional circumstances" to admit a foreign counsel in this case.

Speaking to reporters after the delivery of the judgement, Chew said that he will be "open to anything" when asked if he would engage any other lawyers besides Senior Counsels for his case.

Chew is one of the six church leaders who was charged in June last year with conspiring to cheat the church of millions of dollars.

Besides Chew - the church's founder Kong Hee, senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, church financial manager Sharon Tan Shao Yuen, church board member John Lam Leng Hung and the church's former finance director, Serina Wee Gek Yin - were arrested over the alleged misuse of church funds and alleged breaches under charity laws.

They are alleged to have funnelled S$24 million into sham bond investments to further the career of the church's senior pastor Kong Hee's pop singer wife, Sun Ho. The six church leaders are also said to have misappropriated another S$26.6million to cover up the first sum.

The trial will start on May 6 later this year.

 

[Kinana]

walau, drag super long man. In the end, more people will be deceived and hurt.
I urge Kong Hee and team to repent openly and seek forgiveness from Christians without delay and then face the consequences of his misdeeds bravely.

 

[laksaboy]

Something tells me this Chew guy will take the rap for Kong Hee.

The church will continue, Kong Hee gets acquitted and tells his believers that it was due to God's protection.

 

[streetsmart73]

walau, drag super long man. In the end, more people will be deceived and hurt.
I urge Kong Hee and team to repent openly and seek forgiveness from Christians without delay and then face the consequences of his misdeeds bravely.

hi there


1. yo!
2. you should pray for your leaders mah
3. after all, you come from there hoh:p

 

[General]

What the hell is wrong for applying a Queens Counsel?
Its allowed, so why does there need to a permission?
He could well afford one, or its being done pro bono by a Queen's counsel should be allowed.
Is it because the QC's would make our courts look like a kangaroo?

 

[I_Hate_Pappies]

What the hell is wrong for applying a Queens Counsel?
Its allowed, so why does there need to a permission?
He could well afford one, or its being done pro bono by a Queen's counsel should be allowed.
Is it because the QC's would make our courts look like a kangaroo?

True, any reasons given for dismissing this application? What a Demoncratic country we have here.

 

[Alamaking]

Can dismiss 1 meh?

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

judge say can dismiss means can dismiss. Sg courts for you.

 

[Wildfire]

Die die must also put them behind bars for some time ....

PAPies are always wary of people who are capable of mobilizing the mass especially those already with large flock of devotees.

With over 30,000 devotees permeating into the home of middle and upper middle class Singaporeans. It is a significant force
to be reckon with should it be abused or misdirected!

Kong, with his star power to attract and energize the flock coupled with the Power of God to raise fund is a Clear and Present
Danger to a already weakened PAP.

With an average of 23,256 attendees in 2010. 47.3% of members in City Harvest Church are below the age of 25 years and the
average age of the congregation is 24.

The majority of the church "are young professionals aged 25 to 35" and the church endeavors to build an "ultra-modern, energetic
and upwardly-mobile image"

This class of voters with their net suaveness, proficiency with the new media and their outspokenness is already the tip of the
Achilles' heel for the PAP in the 2006 and 2011 GEs and re-confirmed during the PE's BE.

Remember in 2007 (right after the 2006 GE) both he and Shi Ming Yi were invited for tea? Yes, he was let off, but Shi proceeded to
have breakfast, lunch and dinner at government's holiday resort.

Bear in mind that in 2007, Shi Ming Yi were able to mobilized more than 300,000 devotees at that time.

Also, Ming Yi's group of devotees were less educated and more emotional, therefore, more susceptible to manipulation.

My feeling is that Ming Yi was a brute force and a loose cannon and needed to be taken care off, first!

So, now is the day of …. Kong's reckoning!

 

[Alamaking]

judge say can dismiss means can dismiss. Sg courts for you.

I remember an SG judge gave his verdict in favour of him himself and set the compensation amount to himself, forgot about that case, funny....

 

[GOD IS MY DOG]

Die die must also put them behind bars for some time ....

PAPies are always wary of people who are capable of mobilizing the mass especially those already with large flock of devotees.

With over 30,000 devotees permeating into the home of middle and upper middle class Singaporeans. It is a significant force
to be reckon with should it be abuse or misdirect!

Kong, with his star power to attract and energize the flock coupled with the Power of God to raise fund is a Clear and Present
Danger to a already weakened PAP.

With an average of 23,256 attendees in 2010. 47.3% of members in City Harvest Church are below the age of 25 years and the
average age of the congregation is 24.

The majority of the church "are young professionals aged 25 to 35" and the church endeavors to build an "ultra-modern, energetic
and upwardly-mobile image"

This class of voters with their net suaveness, proficiency with the new media and their outspokenness is already the tip of the
Achilles' heel for the PAP in the 2011 GE and re-confirmed during the PE's BE.

Remember in 2007 both he and Shi Ming Yi were invited for tea? Yes, he was let off, but Shi proceeded to have breakfast, lunch and
dinner at government's holiday resort.

Bear in mind that in 2007, Shi Ming Yi were able to mobilized more than 300,000 devotees at that time.

Also, Ming Yi's group of devotees were less educated and more emotional, therefore, more susceptible to manipulation.

My feeling is that Ming Yi was a brute force and a loose cannon and needed to be taken care off, first!

So, now is the day of …. Kong's reckoning!

that's why i've long said maybe Lee Clan heard Con Hee will use the money from Suntec City and church members to go into politics..............so decided to strike 1st..........

 

[enterprise2]

These kind of wolves in sheep clothing should be behind bars for a long time. Enriching themselves in the name of religion....how low can you get!!!

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

This chc case thing is taking so long to reach its conclusion i bet many ppl are just bored of it.

 

[Wildfire]

This chc case thing is taking so long to reach its conclusion i bet many ppl are just bored of it.

That is probably the intent!

Much like Shi Ming Yi's case ... dragged from October 2007 and only found guilty in October 2009.

After the appeal process, it's was only on 27 May 2010 that he got to go for an all expense paid
holiday at Changi chalet.

Time span - more than 2 1/2 years! By then, all emotional attachment to the case would have
worn off!

 

[scroobal]

After all these years of independence, I am sure the locals are more than capable of handling this case. It no different to the FT issue. It is a straight forward case. What he needs is the services of a good quality and internationally recognised forensic accountant for his defence team. This guy first gave the impression that local SC are not keen to represent him which is not the case. Reminds of the Chia Ti Lik issue where he told the media that lawyers were scared to defend him but later it turned out that he wanted free service.

The verdict came from VK Rajah, the guy is straight as an arrow. His father went to prison because he was the defence counsel and defended those detained without trial and old man went after him.

What the hell is wrong for applying a Queens Counsel?
Its allowed, so why does there need to a permission?
He could well afford one, or its being done pro bono by a Queen's counsel should be allowed.
Is it because the QC's would make our courts look like a kangaroo?

 

[scroobal]

You are completely off the mark.

City Harvest is solidly behind the PAP and the many in the senior ranks have been with City Harvest. For years it was untouchable. One of the allegations that came out from the Cheng San episode was this. It is no different to bible belt which is solidly behind the republicans. The PAP has been courting them for years and it is common knowledge that the followers are asked to vote for PAP.

This came about because a serious of accurate allegations that went to the Commissioner of Charities which was created after NKF debacle. What people are not aware is that they now use special forensic accounting to detect anomalies. For Ming Yi, they brought in an Australian firm and the lead was a french women.

They could not ignore it because of the accuracy and it could only have come from someone from the top.

Die die must also put them behind bars for some time ....

PAPies are always wary of people who are capable of mobilizing the mass especially those already with large flock of devotees.

With over 30,000 devotees permeating into the home of middle and upper middle class Singaporeans. It is a significant force
to be reckon with should it be abused or misdirected!

I][/B]

 

[Wildfire]

....

The verdict came from VK Rajah, the guy is straight as an arrow. His father went to prison because he was the defence counsel and defended those detained without trial and old man went after him.

Yes, I agreed ...

But I think Chew's and CHC intention here is to internationalize the case!

Remember, CHC have a webcast service that reaches 104 countries and an audience of more
than half a million.

 

[Kinana]

Yes, I agreed ...

But I think Chew's and CHC intention here is to internationalize the case!

Remember, CHC have a webcast service that reaches 104 countries and an audience of more
than half a million.

They are not trying to internationalise the case but to delay it to the max.
There is no point in more publicity for them but they do have a chance to consolidate their church with more time on hand.

 

[Kinana]

You are completely off the mark.

City Harvest is solidly behind the PAP and the many in the senior ranks have been with City Harvest. For years it was untouchable. One of the allegations that came out from the Cheng San episode was this. It is no different to bible belt which is solidly behind the republicans. The PAP has been courting them for years and it is common knowledge that the followers are asked to vote for PAP.

This came about because a serious of accurate allegations that went to the Commissioner of Charities which was created after NKF debacle. What people are not aware is that they now use special forensic accounting to detect anomalies. For Ming Yi, they brought in an Australian firm and the lead was a french women.

They could not ignore it because of the accuracy and it could only have come from someone from the top.

These opposition types love to dream up some kind of evil conspiracy about PAP without any basis.

 

[Wildfire]

This came about because a serious of accurate allegations that went to the Commissioner of Charities which was created after NKF debacle. What people are not aware is that they now use special forensic accounting to detect anomalies. For Ming Yi, they brought in an Australian firm and the lead was a french women.

They could not ignore it because of the accuracy and it could only have come from someone from the top.

You may be right, but I doubt!

If so, why is it a staggered process to bring the guilty to court?

Also, why is it the government took pain to explain that this case is NOT LINK to Commissioner of Charities but rather
from whistle blowers?