Convicted S'pore church leader nabbed while fleeing in boat

A former Singaporean Church leader was charged in court today for attempting to flee the country, before he was to start serving a jail sentence for being part of a group that misappropriated SGD 50 million in church funds.
Former City Harvest Church (CHC) leader Chew Eng Han was arrested by the Police Coast Guard yesterday from a motorised 'sampan' (small boat) off a Singaporean island, Pulau Ubin, according to media reports.
Chew, on bail of SGD 1 million, was today due to start serving a jail term of three years and four months for his role in the misappropriation of SGD 50 million of church funds, the largest fraud involving charitable funds in Singapore's history.

Chew, 57, was arrested at sea at 8.47 am yesterday for leaving the country from an unauthorised point of departure "without being compelled by accident or other reasonable cause," court documents stated.
The 'sampan', piloted by Tan Poh Teck, was intercepted by the Police Coast Guard in Singapore waters about 2.4 kms away from Pulau Ubin.
Tan, 53, was also charged today with abetting Chew's attempted illegal departure by taking him on his fishing boat bound for Malaysia.

The pair had claimed to be on a fishing trip when they were arrested. The coast guard, which intercepted the boat following a tip-off, said a preliminary investigation revealed the men were headed to Malaysia.

The authorities seized SGD 5,000 in cash and fishing equipment from the boat, reported Channel News Asia.
Chew, a former journalist turned businessman and church leader, had boarded the boat at Pulau Ubin, where he had travelled from the mainland on his own, according to media reports.
He had sought several deferments to fight the 2015 conviction. He was convicted with five other church leaders who have been serving their jail terms since last April.
The six CHC leaders had channelled SGD 24 million from the church's building fund into Xtron and glass maker Firna in the form of sham bonds.

The money were used to fund the pop career of CHC founder and leader Kong Hee's wife, Ho Yeow Sun, in a church mission known as the Crossover Project, according to media reports on the case.
The group then misused a further SGD 26 million to cover up the misdeed, said the reports.
Now both Chew and Tan face one charge under the Immigration Act of attempting to leave Singapore unlawfully at an unauthorised point of departure.
If convicted, both men face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to SGD 2,000.
Meanwhile, authorities have also arrested Chew's older brother Chew Eng Soon, 61, yesterday.

Chew Eng Soon had helped his brother flee the country, authorities allege, but he has not yet been charged.