Singapore’s former transport minister has pleaded guilty to bribery charges after the city-state's prosecution amended the indictment against him, a surprising twist to the biggest political scandal in nearly four decades.
S. Iswaran pleaded guilty after the amended charges were read out to him. The prosecution proceeded with four charges against him for obtaining valuable items as a public servant and one count of obstructing justice while 30 other charges were taken into consideration.
The former politician was initially charged with 35 counts including graft. He was alleged to have obtained more than S$403,000 (US$312,000) in luxury goods including tickets to musicals and soccer matches in the United Kingdom (UK). The 62-year-old, who resigned from his post back in January, had vowed to defend his innocence in court.
The court hearing would have come at a politically sensitive time as Prime Minister Lawrence Wong prepares to lead the ruling People’s Action Party in a general election after he took over from Lee Hsien Loong in May.
The case against Iswaran, a former party member, is a test for a party that has long relied on its reputation for clean governance to win all elections since Singapore's independence in 1965.