SINGAPORE, Dec 16 — One of 10 suspects in a S$2.8 billion (RM9.8 billion) money laundering case has been denied bail a second time as the police presented new allegations he obtained millions of dollars from Myanmar-based illegal gambling websites.
Following an adjournment sought by the prosecution on November 15, Su Baolin returned to court via video-link yesterday where he renewed claims he faces a high risk of gastric cancer.
Su, 42, is facing two charges for allegedly using forged documents to commit fraud.
The prosecution sought the adjournment of Su’s bail review on Nov 15 so it could review the defence’s submissions and to file affidavits, if required, over accusations raised in relation to Su’s health treatment.
The allegations were mainly focused on whether Singapore Prison Service (SPS) could provide adequate care for Su whose counsel claims he faces a “high risk” of gastric cancer.
During the hearing yesterday, defence counsel Sunil Sudheesan brought up a medical report which was submitted to the prosecution in August 2023 that recommended his client go for a follow-up gastroscopy.
Sunil said that he was under the impression that the gastroscopy would have been given to the accused but Su got only a five-minute check with a gastroentrologist.
“This is inadequate care — if it was any one of our relatives, we would have been insistent on the gastroscopy.
“So I am not mincing my words when I say that prisons is gambling with the accused person’s life,” said Sunil.
Responding, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Ng Jean Ting argued that based on the affidavit of the SPS’ chief medical officer, the high risk of gastric cancer was known to them, and they had taken steps to address the medical issues.
“The (alleged) shortcomings are unfounded and do not constitute a material change in circumstances,” said DPP Ng.
She said that SPS would expedite the movement of inmates if necessary and that they remain in the care of medical professionals until they are in the hospital.
“There is nothing to suggest that it would compromise the safety,” added DPP Ng.
When District Judge Brenda Tan asked Sunil if there was any expert opinion to support the defence’s claim that Su was at a high risk of gastric cancer, he said that all he had was the doctor’s gastroscopy recommendation and “common sense”.
“We have lost many people to cancer so we shouldn’t take the risk and we shouldn’t gamble,” said Sunil.
The judge referred to a point in the defence’s submission comparing the time taken to travel from prison to Changi General Hospital (CGH) and from Su’s residence, should he be granted bail, to the National Heart Centre.
She asked Sunil about the relevance of this in a situation where Su would need to get “immediate medical help”.
Sunil clarified that he meant it would take five minutes longer to go from prison to SGH than from Su’s home to the National Heart Centre.
However, the judge reminded Sunil about the hospital’s processing and waiting time, and asked if he had any expert opinion on the five minutes being a matter of life and death.
Sunil responded: “No, but I have known people to die in five minutes.”
Additional charges likely to be tendered
DPP Ng also said that Su is likely to face additional serious charges based on material outlined in the investigative officer’s affidavit filed in court.
These relate to allegations that about US$4.7 million (S$6.25 million) was channelled into Singapore from overseas and more instances of forged documents that were submitted to the banks by Su.
This suggested that the financial statements and income tax returns for one of Su’s companies were likely to be falsified, DPP Ng said.
The affidavit also outlined allegations that Su had been involved in illegal gambling websites based in Myanmar that generated the funds channelled into Singapore.
In delivering her decision to decline bail, the judge agreed with the prosecution that the new facts presented by the investigative officer indicated that Su had far more substantial overseas assets than he has disclosed.
“This would add to his flight risk as he clearly has resources to relocate easily,” she said.
On the point of medical care, the judge said that SPS’ chief medical officer had detailed all the steps taken to ensure Su would be properly cared for.
“He is not placed in a normal cell but carefully housed at Changi Medical Centre where he has a bed and his vital signs are monitored by trained medical professionals with access to a bell when he needs medical assistance.”
Su is set to return to court on January 24, 2024 for a pre-trial conference. — TODAY
