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A MAN declared dead 20 years ago walked into court yesterday for the opening day of his trial on charges that he cheated three insurance companies into paying out $331,000 for his 'death'.
S. Gandaruban's younger brother, Mr S. Moganaruban, who sat behind him in court, has already been convicted, jailed and released from prison for being his accomplice.
Despite this, the lawyer for Gandaruban, 60, said his client would have pleaded guilty earlier if his brother had not been listed as an accomplice in the insurance scam.
In his brief opening statement, lawyer Subhas Anandan said his client agreed to most of the prosecution's facts of the case, save for the bit about his brother's role.
'The accused says that his brother was not involved as far as he is concerned in the conspiracy to cheat.'
Mr Moganaruban, 57, was a Ceylon Tamil community leader, prominent businessman and chairman of a temple committee. He was awarded a Public Service Medal in 1998.
Mr Moganaruban, then the executive chairman of thrift and loan society Telecoms Credit Cooperative, claimed trial to the charges against him and was eventually jailed for 26 months in 2005, even after an appeal to the High Court.
When Gandaruban's trial got under way yesterday, the prosecution's first and only witness - the accused's former wife - took the stand.
Madam Renuga Devi Sinnaduray, 51, was the first to be punished for the scam. She pleaded guilty in 2004 and was jailed for a year.
On the stand, Madam Renuga said her husband had hatched the plan to fake his death and she did not resist because she was afraid of him.
After the lunch break, though, Mr Anandan asked for the case to be adjourned till today to let the prosecution ponder over an 'offer' - Gandaruban was willing to plead guilty to several of the seven charges he faces.
Gandaruban, who prosecutors said had been hiding in Sri Lanka since faking his death in 1987, was caught last October at Changi Airport when he tried to enter Singapore using a fake passport.
elena@sph.com.sg
BID TO CLEAR KIN
'The accused says that his brother was not involved as far as he is concerned in the conspiracy to cheat.'
LAWYER SUBHAS ANANDAN
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