Former transport minister Iswaran placed on home detention scheme on Feb 7

Former transport minister S. Iswaran was placed on the Home Detention Scheme on Feb 7.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) said Iswaran was assessed to be suitable for the scheme, as he is of low risk of reoffending, did not commit any institutional offence in prison, and has strong family support.

Inmates who display good conduct in prison are eligible for remission after serving two-thirds of their sentence, or after serving 14 days of their sentence, whichever ends later.

In Iswaran’s case, this would be eight months of his 12-month term.

He has spent four months in jail since he began his sentence on Oct 7, 2024.

SPS said eligible prisoners are considered for the Home Detention Scheme when they have served at least 14 days or half of their sentence after remission, whichever is later.

SPS said prisoners are assessed for their suitability for the scheme by taking into consideration various factors such as their conduct and their progress and response to rehabilitation, during incarceration.

SPS added that a prisoner is eligible to be released on the scheme for a period not exceeding 12 months to facilitate his rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

Iswaran will serve his remaining sentence at his residence under specified conditions, added the spokesman. These include curfew monitoring using an electronic monitoring tag, being occupied in work, study or training, and reporting to SPS for counselling.

In 2024, about 44 per cent of the inmates eligible for the scheme were found suitable to be placed on the scheme.

On Oct 3, 2024, Iswaran was handed a 12-month jail term in a case that saw, for the first time, a former Cabinet minister being sentenced.

The punishment was almost double the six to seven months’ jail the prosecution had sought.

Iswaran pleaded guilty to five charges on Sept 24, on what was to be the first day of a highly anticipated trial in which he aimed to clear his name.

The charges he admitted to comprised four charges of obtaining valuable items as a public servant from Ong Beng Seng, 78, chairman of Formula One race promoter Singapore GP, and Mr David Lum Kok Seng, managing director of construction company Lum Chang Holdings.

The fifth charge was for obstructing the course of justice by making payment of $5,700 for a business class flight he had taken from Doha to Singapore in 2022 at Ong’s expense. Iswaran made the payment to throw off the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, which found his name in a flight manifest it had seized while investigating Ong’s associates.

Ong was charged on Oct 4, 2024, with abetting Iswaran in obtaining gifts and with abetting the obstruction of justice.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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