CPIB fabricated parts of statements: law prof in sex-for-grades trial

CPIB fabricated parts of statements: law prof in sex-for-grades trial

NUS law professor Tey Tsun Hang said in court Tuesday that CPIB fabricated parts of his statements.

SINGAPORE: The National University of Singapore law professor involved in a sex-for-grades corruption trial said in court Tuesday that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) fabricated parts of his statements.

Tey Tsun Hang, 41, is defending himself against six counts of corruptly obtaining gratification in the form of gifts and sex from his then-student Darinne Ko Wen Hui, 23, between May and July 2010 in return for lifting her grades.

Tey is currently contesting that six of his CPIB statements are inadmissible as they were not given voluntary.

On Tuesday, his second day on the stand, Tey said that CPIB's deputy director Teng Khee Fatt had typed out what he wanted Tey to say while he was recording Tey's statement in May 2012.

Mr Teng had recorded three of the six statements in question. The first was recorded on 17 May, the second on 18 May, and the third on 24 May.

When questioned by the prosecution at the end of the court session on Tuesday, Tey said that the first statement recorded by Mr Teng on 17 May was partly fabricated while the second, recorded on 18 May, was "pretty much" made up.

Earlier in the day Tey told the court that the investigator had heaped expletives on him when he wanted to make changes to the first of six statements.

He said that he could not continue reading what was recorded in the statement as he was too affected by Mr Teng’s outburst.

Tey then said that the recording officer became impatient with him and threatened him whenever he would not make certain points in his second statement.

Tey also said that he was ill and on psychoactive medication during the recording of the third statement.

He added that he was in a state of helplessness, and signed the confession in "silent protest" after feeling like he was a “victim of oppression”.

Tey continued by saying that he was in a dissociative state and that nothing registered in his mind during the recording of the next three statements.

The district judge called for a short break during the trial to allow Tey to regain his composure after he broke down and cried on the stand; Tey became overwhelmed with emotion when recounting how he had to take care of his father, who had undergone two brain surgeries, while Tey himself was ill.

As Tey is currently contesting the admissibility of his CPIB statements, the court will to decide if his statements are admissible at the end of the “trial within a trial”.

The main corruption trial will take place thereafter.

- CNA/jc

- wong chee tat :)