SINGAPORE — Prosecutors presented more evidence against former tour guide Yang Yin yesterday, after he changed his mind about pleading guilty to misappropriating S$1.1 million from an elderly widow.

Not only did Yang, 42, vacillate on how he had spent the money when he was under police investigation, he had seized control of a far larger amount belonging to Madam Chung Khin Chun, an investigator told the court.

When defence lawyer Irving Choh reiterated his argument that Mdm Chung, 89, had given the money to his client, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jane Lim countered that statements by others, including Mdm Chung’s banker, showed otherwise.

Yang has been caught in a protracted legal tussle over Mdm Chung’s financial assets. At the last hearing, he told the court he intended to plead guilty to making off with S$1.1 million — S$500,000 was allegedly transferred to his father’s China bank account in February 2010 to buy a famed painting, and S$600,000 was withdrawn in cash in January 2012 to buy five paintings.

Returning to court yesterday, Yang said he wanted to continue fighting the charges because “we have much evidence that we have yet to show”, without elaborating.

As the trial resumed, DSP Lim, a senior investigation officer at the Commercial Affairs Department, testified that Yang had taken more than the S$1.1 million in question. Before February 2010, Mdm Chung had S$2.74 million in assets in a current account and unit trusts. But by the time her niece Ms Hedy Mok lodged a police report in August 2014, she was left with about S$9,000 in her current account.

When Mr Choh argued that Mdm Chung had given the money as gifts to his client, DSP Lim rejected him. Although she could not verify information with Mdm Chung — due to the onset of dementia in 2014 — an OCBC bank officer had overheard her saying that the money was entrusted to Yang “to be used for her well-being”.

DSP Lim also flagged inconsistencies in Yang’s statements to the police. Initially, he said he used S$600,000 of the money on five paintings, but changed his story later to say he passed the cash to Mdm Chung.

“I do not know why my grandmother (his term for Mdm Chung) wanted me to take out the monies. I have been keeping this matter from you as I wanted to protect my grandmother,” he said in his statement. “At that time, I did ask my grandmother how I should account for this sum of monies should her friends or relatives ask about it. She told me to tell them that the monies had been spent on paintings.” Shortly after, he changed his tune again and reverted to his original account.

“I regretted what I said just now. After thinking about it, I realised I did buy the five paintings and I do not know why I told you otherwise just now. I was too frightened,” he said.

Quizzed by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicholas Tan on whether Yang appeared frightened then, DSP Lim replied that Yang was “just thinking of excuses to cover up what he just told me”.

In rebuttal, Yang’s lawyer said he was merely keeping to an account agreed between Mdm Chung and him. “Mdm Chung knew the transfers of these sums would cause jealousy and gossip that both Yang and her wanted to avoid,” said Mr Choh.

The prosecution closed its case yesterday after six days of hearing. The trial resumes next Tuesday, with Yang expected to take the stand.

Yang had earlier pleaded guilty to 120 other criminal charges, mainly for falsifying receipts for his music and dance school. Sentencing for these offences has been postponed.