Singapore Ex-Minister Iswaran Sentenced to 12 Months for Accepting $300,000 in Gifts

Oct 3, 2024, 03:56 AM

Former Singapore Transport Minister S. Iswaran, 62, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to five charges of bribery and obstruction of justice on September 24. Iswaran admitted to accepting more than $300,000 worth of gifts from businessmen, including four charges under Section 165 for obtaining gifts as a public servant and one for obstruction of justice. The High Court handed down the sentence on Thursday, exceeding the six- to seven-month term that prosecutors had sought. This landmark ruling marks the first conviction and imprisonment of a former cabinet member in Singapore in nearly 50 years, a significant event in a nation that prides itself on its clean governance and lack of corruption.