The District Court judge hearing the case on Friday postponed his decision on On Shu Kio's sentence, saying he needs more time to think about the case.

Judge Andrew Chan was expected to sentence her on Friday afternoon after questioning her lawyer in the morning.

When court resumed, the judge said that he was rethinking the sentence because of a 2005 money laundering case he had presided over.

In that case, the Court of Appeal had criticised his approach to the sentence though the jail term he imposed was correct.

Judge Chan adjourned the case to Monday.

Last Monday, On had admitted transferring 1.28 million pounds, then equivalent to $3.8 million, in March last year from the couple's joint account in Singapore to an ING account in Hong Kong in her name.

The money included the proceeds from the sale of a Four Seasons Park apartment owned by the couple and their two daughters.

Mr Yong has served a 15-month jail term for, among other things, conspiring with his wife to move his money out of Singapore to avoid paying the NKF, which had sued its former board members for breach of duties.

Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.