Court ruling addresses requests from individuals charged in a billion-dollar money laundering case involving 10 suspects
In the ongoing high-profile money laundering case in Singapore, the court has denied requests by several of the accused to speak with their family members. This decision comes after the suspects, charged in connection with an extensive anti-money laundering raid, appeared in court on August 23, 2023.
The 10 accused individuals, who were arrested in a nationwide operation on August 15, are facing charges related to a multi-million-dollar laundering scheme. Their assets, including luxury goods and real estate, have been seized or frozen, with some properties placed under orders preventing their sale.
During their court appearance, the suspects, who were mostly dressed in red T-shirts typical of accused individuals, made their first appearances since their arrest. Su Haijin, one of the accused, appeared via video from Changi General Hospital after allegedly attempting to escape arrest by jumping from a balcony. Su’s family was present in court, and he was allowed to briefly wave to them via his lawyer’s laptop.
Several other suspects also requested to contact family members. However, District Judge Terence Tay ruled against these requests after prosecutors raised concerns. For example, Su Jianfeng, another accused, requested that his wife be allowed to visit him under police supervision, but this was denied, as his wife is a witness in the case. Similarly, Chen Qingyuan’s request for a phone call with his wife was rejected due to fears he might attempt to instruct her on asset dissipation.
The court’s stance was also reinforced by the denial of Zhang Ruijin’s request to speak to family members on the phone, as he had earlier sought bail. Furthermore, one of the suspects, Wang Dehai, expressed agitation over his detention, claiming his innocence and asserting that he had not engaged in any unlawful activities in Singapore. He did not request to contact his family during the session.
The trial is still in its early stages, with police continuing their investigation into the laundering operations. This case has attracted significant attention due to the scale of the assets involved and the high-profile nature of the individuals charged.
