Vang Shuiming, 42, a citizen of Turkey, faces five charges — one of using a forged document and four of possessing criminal benefits worth S$2.4 million (RM8.25 million) from unlicensed moneylending in China. ― iStock pic
SINGAPORE, Sept 30 — One of the 10 suspects involved in one of Singapore's largest money laundering probes has been denied bail again.
Vang Shuiming, 42, a citizen of Turkey, faces five charges — one of using a forged document and four of possessing criminal benefits worth S$2.4 million (RM8.25 million) from unlicensed moneylending in China.
His lawyers, Wendell Wong, Andrew Chua and Yang Xinyan from Drew and Napier LLC, had sought to have their client released on bail.
They had earlier turned to the High Court to be granted access to their client after their applications were rejected by the State Courts.
However, the High Court rejected their applications on September 5, saying that there was nothing wrong with the orders made by the State Courts.
Yesterday (September 29), Vang was denied bail again on the basis that he poses a high flight risk and there was a risk of collusion with other suspects out of the jurisdiction, as well as contamination of evidence.
The 10 suspects, aged between 31 and 44, were charged in August. They are allegedly involved in laundering the proceeds of crime from their alleged overseas organised crime activities, including scams and online gambling.
In connection with the case, the police raided several places islandwide in August, including at residences such as bungalows.
In total, 105 properties, 50 vehicles and 270 pieces of jewellery, handbags and watches were seized.
Deputy Public Prosecutor David Koh said that based on investigations, Vang was revealed to be wanted by the Chinese authorities for illegal online gambling activities.
“Yet, the accused, the accused’s family (including his parents), his brother and his brother’s wife have managed to relocate to Singapore and remain comfortably outside the reach of the Chinese authorities,” he added.
There are thus reasonable grounds to believe that Vang is adept at evading the law, he suggested.
He also said that Vang has the means to relocate himself and his family, having admitted to possessing more than S$35.5 million worth of assets abroad, including assets worth US$18 million (S$24.5 million) in Cambodia.
Vang and his family possess three passports each, which Vang had obtained through financial contributions and donations, DPP Koh said.
Vang had admitted to possessing a Cambodian passport, which was not located during investigations.
Its whereabouts remain unknown and Vang has “remained vague and coy” about this passport, saying that he does not have it and will surrender it when he locates it, DPP Koh stated.
“It is possible that the Cambodian passport remains within the accused’s possession, and he would be able to easily enter Cambodia with it,” he added.
Vang had admitted to plans of obtaining another passport as well from Saint Kitts and Nevis, a Caribbean island state that was a former British colony.
Although Vang has suggested several measures such as being placed on the blacklist of Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and being electronically tagged, these measures are “not sufficient in dealing with his high flight risk, DPP Koh argued.
The risk of collusion and contamination of evidence is high since Vang had been found to be connected with at least three other suspects who are wanted by the police but remain outside the jurisdiction. This includes Vang's brother Wang Shuiting.
“If released on bail, he has an incentive to share details of the investigation with these people who are presently out of the reach of police,” DPP Koh said.
Response from the defence
In response, Vang's lawyer, Wong, said that the prosecution and the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) have engaged in a “circle of self-fulfilling and speculative concerns as if they were an echo chamber”.
He said that Vang has offered for his entire family to surrender their passports, and that Vang himself is willing to be tagged electronically as well as be placed on the ICA blacklist, among other things.
Wong added that there is a “disparity” in the information presented in the court.
Making reference to the gambling charge that Vang is wanted for in China, Wong said the charges state that Vang is involved in unlicensed moneylending.
Wong added that the prosecution did not say what the penalties are for unlicensed moneylending under China’s laws.
“We are in uncharted waters in terms of where these charges are concerned but (the prosecution) cannot allude to motherhood statements that these charges are serious,” Wong argued.
He said that there are no allegations that Vang has obtained his multiple passports illegally.
Having considered both the prosecution and defence's arguments, Judge Brenda Tan denied Vang's application for bail.
She agreed with the prosecution’s points that Vang remains a high flight risk, notwithstanding his offers to surrender his passport, and there is also the risk of collusion.
Vang will return for a pre-trial conference next month. ― TODAY
