City Harvest Church member Chew Eng Han will be represented by Senior Counsel Michael Khoo in the upcoming trial.

Chew told The Straits Times on Friday after a pre-trial conference that he had called Mr Khoo on Tuesday, the same day that his application to engage a Queen's Counsel - the most elite of British lawyers - to defend him was rejected. The two men met up that day and Chew said he was "very comfortable" with Mr Khoo.

On Friday, Mr Khoo was officially appointed as Chew's counsel. Because the former is involved in another case in May, the trial has been pushed back to start on May 15, instead of May 6. The first part of the trial is expected to last till May 23.

Chew is one of six CHC leaders charged last June with conspiring to cheat the church by funnelling $24 million into sham investments to further the career of senior pastor Kong Hee's pop-singer wife, and then misappropriating another $26.6 million to cover up the misuse of the first sum.