Pastor appeals against jail, community work cited

[ChewCheng]

He scared people play with his ass when he goes in? LOL! He compares himself with MingYi? At least the monk got walk on cable on highrise buildings to raise fund. What the fuck had this fellow done?

THE Chief Justice yesterday reserved judgment on the appeal by a church pastor who does not want to go to jail for lying about whether he had flouted the three-quarter tank rule.

Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong put off making a decision on the sentence to be handed down to Steven Yang Suan Piau, 47, who had attempted to drive to Malaysia in January without the minimum amount of petrol in the tank of his car, as required by law.

The fuel gauge in his car had been rigged to show the tank as being three-quarters full.

Questioned by an immigration officer, the pastor with Eternal Life Baptist Church in Kim Keat Road twice maintained that the fuel gauge had not been tampered with.

He was caught out when a remote control that altered the reading in the fuel gauge was found in his car.

In May, he pleaded guilty in a district court to giving false information under the Customs Act. With another charge of failing to comply with the three-quarter tank rule considered, he was given a two-week jail term.

The district judge had said two weeks was the sentencing norm, and that there were no exceptional reasons for Yang to be handed just a fine.

At his appeal against the sentence yesterday, his lawyer Peter Ong argued that the district judge had failed to factor in his client's contributions through community work.

Mr Ong said that when Ren Ci Hospital founder Shi Ming Yi was sentenced for charges related to an unauthorised loan from the charity's coffers, the judge had taken into consideration the monk's charitable work.

The lawyer argued that Yang had also contributed to society and should be given the same consideration.

He added that the pastor's reputation has been tarred, with the case making the news.

Mr Ong pointed out that in 64 out of 67 similar cases, jail terms of one to two weeks were handed down; this showed that the judge had "mechanically and religiously" imposed the blanket sentence without assessing the facts of each case.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Lam, pushing for a deterrent sentence, said jail time was warranted in Yang's case as there was clear premeditation. She argued that he made a conscious decision to activate the remote control and vehemently denied that the gauge had been tampered with.

The penalty for giving false information under the Customs Act is a fine of up to $5,000 or a jail term of up to a year, or both.

 

[hawker]

He added that the pastor's reputation has been tarred, with the case making the news.

How on earth can this be considered as a mitigating factor?

 

[looneytan]

stupid pastor

he can always say God already forgive him how cum Chief Justice never forgive

 

[Mdm Tang]

.


from the report this lawyer Peter Ong sounded like a yaya papaya ...


the Judge should put Ong to jail .

 

[laksaboy]

Going to jail is a wonderful opportunity to repent in spirit and with a contrite heart, and also to evangelize and win lost souls in prison.

For all the preaching about how wonderful those things are, when the push comes to the shove, these so-called Christians are scared shitless and refuse to do it.

 

[Mdm Tang]

Pastors should be licensed !!!


this Steven Yang should be deflocked and

or suspended for 3 years !!!

 

[Mdm Tang]

.


disgraced to the Church community !!!


2 weeks is the norm. if he is truly repent he should


ask and volunteer for 2 mths or even 2 yrs !!!

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

This pastor does not want to do prison ministry. WTF

 

[Mdm Tang]

This pastor does not want to do prison ministry. WTF

This Pastor is akin to those Faked Monks walking the streets of Geylang .


This is one case i support ICA and the prosecution.


For a Joker who can cook up the scheme to cheat ICA


on a regular basis to the extent of installing a device to cheat ICA


2 weeks is too little !!!


He should be a role model but he cheats .


Chief Justice should take this opportunity to send a strong message to all

cheats by upping the jail time to 2 months !!!!

 

[I_Hate_Pappies]

I think his lawyer cited WW's case in a bid to reduce the sentence. How dare the judge punish the Servant of GOD? Beat DOG never see owner ah?

 

[Mdm Tang]

this is a good DPP :



Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Lam, pushing for a deterrent sentence, said jail time was warranted in Yang's case as there was clear premeditation. She argued that he made a conscious decision to activate the remote control and vehemently denied that the gauge had been tampered with.

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

Are pastors so poor? Why does one stay at Sentosa Cove, while the other need to resort to cheap tricks to save a few bucks off petrol?

 

[Mdm Tang]

this is a good DPP :



Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Lam, pushing for a deterrent sentence, said jail time was warranted in Yang's case as there was clear premeditation. She argued that he made a conscious decision to activate the remote control and vehemently denied that the gauge had been tampered with.

with the rising number of people opting to become Pastors

the govt should set up a Agency similar to the Council of Estate Agents

which police the all housing agents in Singapore :

i propose it call Council of Singapore Pastors ( CSP ) :


a hotline should be available to whistle blower and for feedback on those errant

Pastors who :


a) go Geylang call chickens
b) go Duxton call ducks
c) go makan church funds
d) disguised go casinos
e) cheats on Church members
f) cheat spouses
g) cheat IRAS

 

[I_Hate_Pappies]

Are pastors so poor? Why does one stay at Sentosa Cove, while the other need to resort to cheap tricks to save a few bucks off petrol?

It's plain stupidity, how much can one save per trip?

 

[Mdm Tang]

.



Title : Pastor questions jail term for false information
By :
Date : 24 August 2012 0604 hrs (SST)
URL : http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1221813/1/.html



SINGAPORE: The lawyer of a church pastor, who was sentenced to two weeks in jail for giving false information under the Customs Act, on Thursday questioned if a "blanket sentence" had been imposed "mechanically and religiously".

In the appeal against the sentence, lawyer Peter Ong said Senior District Judge See Kee Oon had "failed to consider" that he had the discretion to impose a fine, instead of a custodial sentence.

The judge had imposed a jail term on Steven Yang Suan Piau, a pastor at Eternal Life Baptist Church, after he lied to an immigration officer.

On Jan 3, Yang had attempted to leave Singapore for Malaysia without the required amount of fuel, or at least three-quarters of the tank, in his car.

When asked by the immigration officer, Yang maintained that his car's fuel indicator - which showed it was three-quarters full - was accurate and that the fuel gauge had not been tampered with.

However, an inspection of the car found it had less than one-quarter tank of fuel.

On Thursday, Mr Ong questioned if the Senior District Judge had placed previous sentencing precedents "on an altar and obsessively worshipped them".

In 64 of the 67 cases between 2009 and May this year, jail terms of at least one to two weeks were imposed.

Two other cases attracted fines, while the last was taken into consideration during sentencing for other offences, Mr Ong noted.

The penalty for giving false information under the Customs Act is a fine of up to S$5,000 or jail term of up to a year, or both, and Mr Ong argued Parliament did not prescribe a minimum sentence for the offence and had left it to the discretion of the courts.

The lawyer also drew similarities to the recent case of Woffles Wu, who was fined S$1,000 for giving false information to the police about his speeding offences.


In both cases, the false information given was to evade a small speeding fine or a "small amount of excise duty on petrol", said Mr Ong.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Lam, however, said Yang's sentence was adequate as he had deliberately misled the immigration officer.

The appeal was adjourned to a further date. - TODAY

 

[wendychan]

I think his lawyer cited WW's case in a bid to reduce the sentence. How dare the judge punish the Servant of GOD? Beat DOG never see owner ah?

and it didn't work? citing WW case?

 

[ConyuConhee]

He scared people play with his ass when he goes in? LOL! He compares himself with MingYi? At least the monk got walk on cable on highrise buildings to raise fund. What the fuck had this fellow done?

trying to con Chinese nationals
to behave like sheep
look at those banners hanging outside
haha .....

 

[numero uno]

He added that the pastor's reputation has been tarred, with the case making the news.

How on earth can this be considered as a mitigating factor?

real farked up. what reputation does he have in the first place? His repute is that of a conman, low class cheater, lier, bull shitter, cheapskate useless scums of society. I hope the CJ treble his sentence. shameless. shameless shameless. even a pros can say she does community service. All these church pastors incld city harvest and fake monks are the worst of all criminals. balless, arrogant and shameless cheats. period

 

[ChewCheng]

Car salesman also got some take bus and others drives sports car.

Are pastors so poor? Why does one stay at Sentosa Cove, while the other need to resort to cheap tricks to save a few bucks off petrol?

 

[Kinana]

Pastors should be doubly punished.