Sex-for-grades trial resumes after law prof declared fit enough to testify

Sex-for-grades trial resumes after law prof declared fit enough to testify

    By Claire Huang
    POSTED: 06 May 2013 1:16 PM
    UPDATED: 06 May 2013 8:10 PM
   
SINGAPORE: The corruption trial of law professor Tey Tsun Hang resumed on Monday after a two-week break.

The sex-for-grades trial was adjourned in late April.

Tey's lawyer, Peter Low, had made a request then to the court for his client to seek assessment from a forensic psychiatrist at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

The move was for the forensic psychiatrist to determine if Tey is fit to stand trial.

On Monday morning, the court heard that Tey is well enough to testify.

With a thick scarf wrapped around his neck, the former district judge continued to take the stand as he was questioned by prosecutor Andre Jumabhoy.

The morning proceedings moved along slowly as Tey refused to answer Mr Jumabhoy's questions directly, and the prosecutor had to keep repeating himself.

At one point, Mr Jumabhoy said pointedly that Tey should not "play dumb" in court.

This upset Tey, who demanded for the prosecutor to stop the "name-calling" as it was "very insulting".

Towards the later part of the morning, the prosecution brought up IMH's report on Tey's condition.

Tey has repeatedly said that he does not remember why he told the authorities certain items such as an iPad were a gift from his student, when in reality he bought the iPad himself.

Tey's defence was that at that point in time, his memory was affected.

Previously, it was said that Tey suffered from dissociative amnesia.

On Monday, the court heard that the IMH report by Dr Gwee Kenji stated that Tey's severe memory deficiencies were consistent with "individuals with severe brain damage, or organic disorders, chronic and severe psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia".

Mr Jumabhoy pointed out that Tey did not suffer from any of these conditions, which the law professor agreed.

The prosecutor pointed out the only other basis for Tey's memory loss, as stated in the IMH report, is that he is malingering.

Tey rebutted, saying the prosecution is assuming and "making the supposition".

He said: "You are assuming, and you are making the supposition. Your line from beginning to end is, in your own phrase, flare for drama, play-acting, play dumb. For what? To land himself in this condition, suffering for a year, going to gaol?"

Later in the day, six other witnesses from the National University of Singapore's law faculty also testified.

The court heard about the grading system of the university and the role of the Board of Examiners.

The prosecution made the point that when the Board adjusts students' grades, it does not carry out the actual re-marking of the papers.

The court also heard from some professors who taught Darinne Ko - Tey's former student implicated in the case - that she was at worst a "B+" student and was a solid upper class honours graduate.

They described her as "a very bright student", who writes very well.

Tey, 42, is accused of obtaining gratification in the form of gifts and sex from Ms Ko, in return for giving her better grades between May and July 2010.

Just before the end of the day, Chief District Judge Tan Siong Thye signalled to both the prosecution and defence that he wishes the trial to end on Tuesday.

The defence has about seven more witnesses to go.

- CNA/ac/ms

- wong chee tat :)