'Mr Durai's 'subsequent mishandling' of the case has had 'devastating effects on numerous other families in Singapore', Mr Toby Jenkyn-Jones said. -- PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER
ON SHU KIO'S lawyer blamed former National Kidney Foundation (NKF) chief executive T.T. Durai for landing his client in the mess she is in today.
In mitigation, he pointed to Mr Durai's 'ill-considered' decision in 2004 to sue Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) for defamation without consulting the board of directors.
As the lawyer traced how that act led to On moving money to Hong Kong from Singapore, he laced his narrative with words such as 'arrogant' and 'selfish' to describe the former CEO.
'That act of his sent out ripples which have resulted in the defendant today facing these charges,' said Mr Toby Jenkyn-Jones.
Mr Durai's 'subsequent mishandling' of the case has had 'devastating effects on numerous other families in Singapore', he said.
The defamation suit that Mr Durai had pursued against SPH put the spotlight on problems in the way the charity was run and eventually led to the board stepping down. NKF then moved to sue its former management for breach of duties. Mr Durai conceded defeat after two days and the other defendants, including Mr Richard Yong, did the same a month later.
Mr Yong was later declared bankrupt when he failed to pay up.
Mr Jenkyn-Jones noted that Mr Yong and On have contributed to NKF for years. In the early days, she donated two dialysis machines, and put her husband's name on the plaque. Mr Yong served for 18 years without taking a single cent.
But now, they are 'ruined' because of what Mr Durai did, said the lawyer.
