Law prof in sex-for-grades trial says former student deserved poorer grades

Law prof in sex-for-grades trial says former student deserved poorer grades

By Claire Huang
POSTED: 10 Apr 2013 4:00 PM
UPDATED: 10 Apr 2013 10:09 PM

NUS law professor embroiled in a sex-for-grades corruption case said on Wednesday that his former student deserved poorer grades than he had given her.

SINGAPORE: The National University of Singapore (NUS) law professor embroiled in a sex-for-grades corruption case said on Wednesday in court that his former student deserved poorer grades than he had given her.

Tey Tsun Hang faces six allegations that he obtained gifts and sex from former student, Darinne Ko, some time between May and July 2010, in return for lifting her grades.

In one of his six statements to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), Tey said Ms Ko did not deserve the 'B+' grade she was given for her test on Equity and Trust.

The 41-year-old said Ms Ko "deserved to just pass the paper".

In the statement made in the evening of 5 April 2012, Tey also said 23-year-old Ms Ko should not have gotten a "B" grade for the Personal Property Law paper.

He said in the statement Ms Ko "was a borderline failure".

The statement, which was Tey's second, was recorded by CPIB officer Wilson Khoo.

It also stated that Tey was expecting gifts from Ms Ko, which she gave willingly.

But on Wednesday during the cross-examination of Mr Khoo, Tey said these comments could not have come from him.

For example, Tey pointed to the words "borderline failure".

He said there's no such category used at NUS, so he could not have said it.

Tey is making the point that the statement is false.

On his statement that Ms Ko had informed him of her pregnancy, Tey said he could not have said something as nonsensical as that.

In the statement, he said he asked Ms Ko not to abort the child as he only had a daughter and wanted "to have another child".

Tey told Mr Khoo that he did not want his family know about the pregnancy.

However on Wednesday, Tey said he never made such a statement.

In his second statement to CPIB, Tey admitted to receiving 10 items from Ms Ko, including a Mont Blanc pen, a Tissot pocket watch and shoes.

However on Wednesday, Tey said six of the 10 items were not related to the charges.

Tey was trying to make the point that he was in a state where he admitted to receiving items that were not related to the charges.

The law professor said he was so traumatised and stressed that he told CPIB he received all 10 items from Ms Ko.

Moving on to his third statement, also recorded by Mr Khoo, Tey pointed out that it did not make sense for him to confess to receiving items from two assistant registrars of the Supreme Court.

He also questioned the rationale in implicating them.

The hearing has proceeded to Tey's next three statements, statements 4, 5 and 6, which were recorded by CPIB's deputy director, Teng Khee Fatt.

Earlier, CPIB officer Bay Chun How testified in court over Tey's first statement, recorded on 5 April 2012.

- CNA/ck

- wong chee tat :)