SINGAPORE — Former City Harvest Church (CHC) fund manager Chew Eng Han was sentenced to 13 months’ jail on Tuesday (Jan 29) for trying to escape jail time by leaving Singapore in a motorised sampan.

This will be added to the current sentence he is already serving, for his role in in the largest case of misuse of charitable funds in Singapore's history.

This means Chew must now serve a jail sentence of four years and five months in total.

The 58-year-old was convicted of his latest set of offences on Dec 12 last year.

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Although the former CHC leader initially pleaded not guilty to the two latest charges, he chose not to give evidence on the stand during his one-day trial on Sept 24 last year, and no other defence witnesses were called.

In sentencing Chew, District Judge Victor Yeo said Chew’s actions were “premeditated and deliberate”.

The judge said he “gave some credit” to the fact that Chew did not attempt to rely on his cover story of going on a fishing expedition when he was caught trying to flee and during investigations.

Nonetheless, he added that he was “not convinced” of Chew’s remorse.

He noted that Chew had “explored various avenues to leave since October (2017), and was only thwarted by the vigilance of the Police Coast Guard”.

DJ Yeo said that a 13-month jail sentence reflected the criminality of his offences. He ordered the latest sentence to begin after Chew’s earlier sentence of three years and four months ends.

Chew, dressed in purple prison garb, showed no emotion while he was sentenced. He was allowed by the judge to speak with family members after court proceedings ended.

‘LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE LAW’

Urging the court to impose a jail sentence of at least 15 months, the prosecution said Chew’s latest offences — to attempt escaping his jail sentence — showed his “fundamental lack of respect for the law and authority of the courts”.

Deputy Public Prosecutors (DPPs) Christopher Ong and Eugene Sng added that Chew’s unsuccessful attempt — he was stopped by Police Coast Guard officers acting on a tip-off — should not make a difference in the sentence meted out.

DJ Yeo agreed with the prosecution, saying that “(Chew) should not be given credit for (his) boat being intercepted by Police Coast Guard officers”.

Defence lawyer Adrian Wee, in asking the court to impose a six-month sentence, argued that his client had the “least knowledge and planning” in the attempted escape.

“He was not the expert... he was the end user,” Mr Wee said. He also noted that the offence of attempting to flee Singapore was not completed.

But DPP Ong countered that it was Chew who “stood to benefit” if the plan was successful.

“Whatever planning was done was because (Chew) paid for the trip,” the prosecutor added.

BACKGROUND ON THE CASE

Chew was supposed to begin serving his sentence on Feb 22 last year, after he was convicted of criminal breach of trust and falsification of accounts involving more than S$50 million of CHC funds in 2015.

He was granted a deferment on sentence, on Feb 1 last year, to spend Chinese New Year with his family.

But on the morning of Feb 21 last year, Chew — who was out on a S$1 million bail — was nabbed at sea for trying to skip town with the help of a boatman.

He was then charged with trying to avoid serving his sentence and attempting to leave Singapore for Malaysia unlawfully via Pulau Ubin Jetty, which is not an authorised place of embarkation, departing place or point of departure.

Chew subsequently started serving his sentence for criminal breach of trust on March 1 last year.

Other than Chew, three other people linked to the case have been dealt with by the courts. Boatman and Singapore fish farm owner Tan Poh Teck, 53, was in July last year sentenced to 27 weeks’ jail for abetting Chew’s escape.

Malaysian freelance driver Khoo Kea Leng, 45, and Malaysian private tour guide Tan Kim Ho, 42, were each handed a six-month jail term for their roles in organising the escape.

Chew’s older brother Chew Eng Soon was also involved in the escape bid, but he has not been charged in court.