SINGAPORE - Two men accused of helping former City Harvest Church (CHC) leader Chew Eng Han, 57, flee Singapore were offered bail on Wednesday (March 7).
Malaysian Khoo Kea Leng, 45, was offered bail of $20,000 while fish farm owner Tan Poh Teck's bail was set at $25,000.
Tan, 53, was also charged with another offence on Wednesday. He is accused of abetting one Goh Chun Kiat to leave Singapore by conveying him on a motorised boat from a beach near Changi, which is not an authorised place of embarkation, departing point or point of departure.
According to court papers, the boat then travelled to an area near a fish farm off Pulau Ubin where Goh allegedly boarded another boat to Malaysia.
Tan allegedly committed the offence at around 9.30am on Aug 17 last year.
Goh's details were not revealed in court papers.
Chew began his jail sentence of three years and four months last week for his role in the misuse of millions in church funds.
He was originally scheduled to begin his sentence for criminal breach of trust on Feb 22 but was nabbed at sea the day before for allegedly trying to flee to Malaysia on a motorised boat.
He is accused of leaving Singapore unlawfully at Pulau Ubin Jetty by boarding the motorised boat which was about to leave Singapore for Malaysia on Feb 21 morning.
Five other church leaders - including founder-pastor Kong Hee - began serving their sentences last April for misusing church funds.
But Chew, who was out on $1 million bail, had secured multiple deferments.
Tan was earlier charged with abetting the former CHC fund manager to leave Singapore by conveying him on the boat to the north-east part of Pulau Ubin, where Chew was to board another vessel for Malaysia.
He is also accused of abetting one Shanker Maghalingam to leave Singapore on the same boat to Malaysia at about 8.40am on Dec 17 last year.
Khoo, who was originally charged on Feb 28, is said to have conspired with Chew on Feb 20 to leave Singapore from an unauthorised point of departure.
Khoo allegedly collected $8,000 from the former church leader near Block 75, Marine Drive, as part payment for arranging the latter's transport to Malaysia.
Chew, Khoo and Tan will be back in court on March 29.
