THE founder and former chief executive officer of Ren Ci Hospital and his former personal executive will go on trial in April.

Goh Kah Heng alias Shi Ming Yi, 46, a high-profile Buddhist monk, and Raymond Yeung Chi Hang, 33, will be jointly tried in a district court from April 2 to 24.

The case against a third, Phua Seow Hwa, 48, a manager at Ren Ci, who faces one charge of conspiring to knowingly give false information to the Commissioner of Charities (COC), will be stood down until after the duo's trial.

Shi is accused of forgery, providing false or misleading information to the COC, conspiracy to falsify a payment voucher and give false information to the COC and misappropropriation of Ren Ci funds.

The alleged 10 offences occurred between 1998 and last year.

Yeung allegedly abetted Shi to falsify a Ren Ci document, by stating that a $50,000 loan was made by Ren Ci to Mandala Buddhist Cultural Centre, a Buddhist artefacts shop, in May 2004.

He is also said to have conspired with Shi to provide false information to the COC regarding the delivery of two statues to Mandala in January last year.

Ren Ci is the second large charity involved in court proceedings following the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) scandal that ended with its former chief T.T. Durai going to jail.

All three turned up in court on Monday with their respective lawyers for the pre-trial conference.

Shi was seen wearing a mask as he was not well. He was given permission to travel overseas from Jan 8 to Feb 10 on business.