Singapore (AsiaNews / Agencies) - This morning Singapore courts sentenced co-founder of City Harvest Church (Pentecostal church in the city-state) and five other prominent community figures for multimillion dollar fraud.
According to the judges Pastor Kong Hee - along with five co-workers - diverted funds amounting to $ 35 million and created fictitious accounts to finance the music career of his wife Sun Ho. In a statement posted on the official website of the church, he said he was "disappointed by the outcome" and announces new legal battles.
The controversy has sparked great interest among the citizens of Singapore, attracted by the mix of money, faith and scandals. In addition, controls are strict and the authorities show very little tolerance to of corruption the city-state where incidents of this magnitude very rarely arise.
The City Harvest, considered a mega-church, is one of the most famous and wealthy evangelical denominations of Singapore, with at least 30 thousand members in one city-state and 15 functions every weekend. It also has affiliations in 48 countries worldwide, including Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, Brunei and Australia.
Its leaders want to transform Singapore into a leading center in the spread of the evangelical Christian faith, exporting it worldwide. Pastor Kong Hee was arrested and indicted in 2012 for breach of trust and false accounting. The defendants argued that Ho’s musical career - alien to the legal matter - was a way to reach and evangelize non-Christians. Released on bail until the final judgment, they risk life imprisonment.
The six leaders and those responsible for the financial administration of the mega church were accused of diverting millions of dollars from a charitable fund to fictitious investments used to finance music projects aimed to evangelization. For the prosecutor more money taken illegally was used to cover the investment. The defendants have always strongly rejected the allegations, denying any wrongdoing.
However, Judge See Kee Oon stated the charge was "undeniable" and "the overwhelming weight of the evidence shows that [the defendants] have acted dishonestly."