If you’ve been waiting for updates on Iswaran’s case, you’ll have to wait a little longer. The trial, originally scheduled to begin on 10 September, has been postponed to 24 September.
On 5 September, the Attorney-General’s Chambers announced that both the prosecution and the defense (i.e. Iswaran) had jointly requested the delay, and the court agreed.
No reason for the postponement has been provided.
This news comes just two days after the Court of Appeal dismissed Iswaran’s third attempt to access conditioned statements from every prosecution witness.
Originally Set on 10 September 2024
This isn’t the first time the trial has been postponed, as the very first date of his trial was scheduled for 13 August.
Back then, the reason to push back the trial date was that Iswaran’s team were in the middle of an appeal for conditioned statements on all 56 witnesses to be provided to them by the prosecution.
The trial was then set to start next Tuesday (10 September).
The former transport minister faces 35 charges.
Initially, his case was to be heard in two separate trials: the first for his alleged dealings with hotel and property tycoon Ong Beng Seng, and the second with Lum Chang Holdings’ managing director David Lum.
However, his request to have both to be heard in one trial was granted after an intense hearing.
You can watch this video know more about this alleged dealings with Ong Beng Seng:
…and watch this video to know more about his alleged dealings with David Lum:
In the last three months, Iswaran has also made multiple attempts to obtain conditioned statements from the prosecution for all of its trial witnesses.
A conditioned statement is a written statement that can be used as evidence in court, as opposed to oral testimony. It is a mode of giving evidence in a criminal proceeding.
Iswaran’s legal team first argued in the High Court for an order requiring the prosecution to provide conditioned statements for every witness it intends to call at trial. This application was dismissed by an assistant registrar on 11 June 2024.
The defense then filed a criminal revision application, asking a High Court judge to review the assistant registrar’s decision. On 19 July 2024, Justice Vincent Hoong dismissed this second attempt.
In his third attempt, Iswaran sought permission from the Court of Appeal on 3 September 2024 to file a criminal reference, asking Singapore’s top court to determine if witness statements should be part of the prosecution’s disclosure obligations. The Court of Appeal also dismissed this bid.
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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