I never conspired with others to cause losses to the church: Chew Eng Han (Today: 27 Jan 2015)

SINGAPORE — Recounting his chance meeting with Mr Roland Poon after one tranche of the trial involving six City Harvest Church leaders last year, former church investment manager Chew Eng Han - one of six accused of misappropriating church funds - told the court: “Roland Poon shook my hand and said ‘Well done’. If I was in a conspiracy and had lied to him in 2003, he would have slapped me.”

Mr Poon is the City Harvest Church member who first went to the press in 2003 alleging use of church funds for the career of pop singer Ho Yeow Sun.

Chew said he had not lied when he told Mr Poon in 2003, in his capacity as a board member, that no church funds were used in funding Ms Ho’s music career then.

“But now, this statement cannot hold true,” Chew told the court.

However, Chew contended that there was nothing wrong with using church funds for the Crossover, a church mission to evangelise using Ms Ho’s music. Chew maintained that he never conspired with others to cause losses to the church.

The accused persons allegedly misused S$24 million in church building funds for Ms Ho’s career through sham bonds and another S$26.6 million to cover up the first amount.

“It was meant to be a church project from the start. Why is it wrong for the church to use Xtron, which in fact becomes a buffer of risk for the church. How is this criminal breach of trust?” he said.

Chew added the church’s former lawyer Christina Ng was in the know of Chew’s role as a fund manager and that his intentions were “furthest from any conspiracy”.

“Even if we put 100 per cent into Xtron bonds, it does not mean there is dishonesty. But it means the church is confident that Sun will make it,” he argued.

Not every form of return has to be measured in monetary terms, and risks were worthwhile for the “social returns” for the Crossover project, he added.