[9mm_fan]

Lawyers said the statement made by executive pastor of City Harvest Church regarding allegations of misuse of funds before the case has gone to trial is risky - if not reckless - and could be construed as interfering with judicial process.

In a strongly worded statement on Thursday night, executive pastor Aries Zulkarnain, 39, dismissed allegations that the church was cheated of $50 million, claiming that the sum was repaid to the church in full with interest.

Insiders said the church deemed the statement necessary to ally the concerns of its 30,000 members, reported The Straits Times.

On Wednesday, the church's founding pastor Kong Hee, 47, and four others were charged with misappropriating church funds of over $50 million.

They were alleged to have funnelled $24 million into a sham bond investments to further the music career of Kong's pop singer wife Ho Yeow Sun. They also allegedly misappropriated a further $26.6 million in church funds to cover up the first amount.

The five have not pleaded guilty and are due in court on July 25. If found guilty, they could face lengthy jail terms, even for life.

The statement by Mr Aries was posted on the church's website and sent to the media. In it, he addressed the allegations and maintained that the church did not lose any funds in the alleged transactions. He also said the accused did not make any personal profit.

He added that the church stood with those involved in the case, including Kong, and that church activities were unaffected. Kong and his deputy Tan Ye Peng could continue to preach at the church.

Lawyers interviewed by The Straits Times are divided on whether Mr Aries' comments constituted subjudice, a legal concept referring to words or actions that may affect or prejudice the outcome of court proceedings.

It is an offence to commit subjudice.

"To address the allegations is subjudice, as the evidence has not been heard in court," said president of the Association of Criminal Lawyers of Singapore Subhas Anandan.

However, other lawyers said it is debatable whether Mr Aries' comments were in contempt of court.

Criminal lawyer R. S. Bajwa told The Straits Times that it remained up to the prosecution to decide if the point about no funds being lost will be a point of contention.

The Attorney-General Chambers said that criminal charges were before the court and that neither the prosecution nor any other party should comment on issues which will be subject to adjudication and on which evidence will be led in court.

The police also gave a similar response: "Generally, in law, the offence of criminal breach of trust of monies is established once there is misappropriation of the monies with the requisite intent, regardless of whether there have or have not been subsequent attempts at restitution by the accused."

[MannoFr]

CHC is pretty much in their own league. As somebody mentioned, LKY is not even dead yet. Come to think of it, CHC might want to run their own Vatican in the heart of Sinkapore.

[Big A]

apparently there are more people who are angry with con hee and sun whore than their supporters. do u think they can be discharged from the crime?

i doubt the judge is blind, plus the corruption bureau had evidence to prosecute them. do u think the govt would make mistakes? it is a serious case, and i am a million % sure the judicial system would evaluate their crimes properly

[Ifroham4]

Zulkarnian sounds like a Malay name. Or he is Indonesian Chinese?

[Drugmachine]

I remember many years ago, a lawyer called Khoo Hin Hiong was charged for CBT. He was in the firm of Chor Pee & Hin Hiong. His co-senior partner was a Lim Chor Pee. Thio Su Mien was also a partner of this firm. Chor Pee and his partners wrote to several senior lawyers and their own clients to protest the charging of Hin Hiong. There was a move by Glenn Knight (the DPP then) to have the partners of CP & HH cited for contempt. The partners all appeared in Court and apologized to avert the contempt action.

[brraverishhh]

are they against con hee & sun whore?

[HedgeYourBets]

I remember many years ago, a lawyer called Khoo Hin Hiong was charged for CBT. He was in the firm of Chor Pee & Hin Hiong. His co-senior partner was a Lim Chor Pee. Thio Su Mien was also a partner of this firm. Chor Pee and his partners wrote to several senior lawyers and their own clients to protest the charging of Hin Hiong. There was a move by Glenn Knight (the DPP then) to have the partners of CP & HH cited for contempt. The partners all appeared in Court and apologized to avert the contempt action.

Yes, GK initiated that.

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

why need to apologise. sometimes, it's guts they're playing. who dares win

[Slonopotam845]

hi there


1. aiyoh!
2. those religious dafter sheep are just self denying that they are lied to & cheated by the parties in question.
3. this is just putting up a brave front thing.
4. harmless too.

[9mm_fan]

Good to see Aries Zulkarnian making a fool of himself and of City Harvest.

[Big A]

Aries sounds very unchristian.
Might as well call himself Zeus Zulkarnain.

[softy54534]

Church can become bank.

[Beerinkol]

CHC think that they can take on the goverment even when they had deemed to have broke the law.

If PAP were to take this lying down, we can be sure that 2016 will be a really lousy year for PAP.

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

I remember many years ago, a lawyer called Khoo Hin Hiong was charged for CBT. He was in the firm of Chor Pee & Hin Hiong. His co-senior partner was a Lim Chor Pee. Thio Su Mien was also a partner of this firm. Chor Pee and his partners wrote to several senior lawyers and their own clients to protest the charging of Hin Hiong. There was a move by Glenn Knight (the DPP then) to have the partners of CP & HH cited for contempt. The partners all appeared in Court and apologized to avert the contempt action.

GK , at that time , if i correct , wasn't a Christian yet .

[HedgeYourBets]

so Aries Zulkarnain means that CAD is wasting their time?

[Slonopotam845]

.


he want to join the party also .

but AGC too smart for that.

[LottiFurmann]

so Aries Zulkarnain means that CAD is wasting their time?

Maybe he thinks that as he is Indonesian and if he is arrested, he can get Indonesian government to intervene and also get the sympathies of Christians in Indonesia to widen the conflict.

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

aries can't influence the court system. the media is happy to publish his statement. something for the media to sell its story. aries really made a fool of himself. what makes him think by issuing the statement, he can influence the judicial system? he must be damn ignorant about the laws.

singapore judicial system requires evidence like audit trails, transactions trails. otherwise, there wont be prosecution. did u notice the police arrest them without warning? b/c the corruption bureau has found sufficient evidence to have them arrested. the trial will be on the 25 jul. let's wait and see what their defences are.

i m very sure they will come out with heaps of weird defences. i m pretty sure they all will be charged. there goes the chc. the numbers of chc will drop tremendously after his arrests. sun whore will be known again as ho yeow sun... lol... her hollywood dream will be gone by then. back to reality. who knows she might divorce con hee and marry a black american boy... since she likes to mix with the blacks...

[Lt_Apple]

trying to be brave in church

SINGAPORE - "I do maintain my integrity".

These were the words of City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee when he addressed his congregation on Saturday.

It was his first service since Kong and four senior church members were arrested last week and charged with conspiring to cheat the church of millions of dollars. The money allegedly went into financing his wife's, pop singer Ho Yeow Sun, music career.

Dressed in a dark suit, Kong was greeted to applause and a standing ovation from an 8-000 strong crowd when he went on stage yesterday, reported The Straits Times.

The paper quoted Kong as saying, "I also know that you are all here tonight to hear something from me".

"As you know, the past few days have been very challenging for me, my family and my team, and many allegations have been made in the media.

"Obviously, as this is an ongoing case, I cannot comment on the details, but please know that there are always two sides to every story. I look forward to the day when I can tell you my side of the story in court," he said.

Seven minutes into his sermon about a woman who had worshipped Jesus humbly, honestly and whole-heartedly, Kong stopped and told his congregation, "Yes, I do maintain my integrity".

This was met with a second standing ovation and cheers.

Kong then asked his 42-year-old wife to lead the congregation in singing worship songs. During the singing session, the others who were charged - deputy pastor Tan Ye Peng, 39, finance manager Sharon Tan Shao Yuen, 36, investment manager Chew Eng Han, 52, and church management board member John Lam Leng Hung, 44, - went on stage and exchanged hugs with Kong and Ms Ho.

[brraverishhh]

why con hee didnt say anything in the church b/c he knows he can't maintain his innocence. it's plain simple rule. he was caught siphoning money out from the church to support his ambitious wanna american singer wife in the LA. but he can't say. by the time he is charged, his church members will shrink i m very sure of that. the new creation church will inherit the crowd... lol. at least the new creation church members' money even if misused, it wont be as obvious as chc.

i bet sun whore wont even want to go to the internet. b/c everything about her is bad stuff. there are more bad gossip about her than good news. sori ms ho, your singing career and luxury living lifestyle will end very very soon.