Ex-wife of Dan Tan gave false information to CPIB officer
Ex-wife of alleged match-fixing kingpin had lied to CPIB officer about taking 2 laptops belonging to Dan Tan
She projected herself as a "meek housewife" before the court.
Guan Enmei, now 41, who was once married to alleged match-fixing kingpin Dan Tan Seet Eng, also tried to come across as someone who was ignorant of her then-husband's activities.
District Judge Lee Poh Choo said she did not believe Guan and added: "She struck me as a savvy, knowledgeable and capable lady."
Yesterday, Judge Lee found her guilty of giving false information to Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) senior special investigator Lim Yen Chun on June 6, 2013.
Guan had lied to Ms Lim that day, claiming she left home with only her handbag, when in fact, she also had two laptops belonging to Tan, now 51.
During the two-day trial, Guan testified that she was at home when Tan was ordered to go to the CPIB headquarters on the morning of June 6, 2013.
Before leaving, he asked her to keep his two laptops and she agreed.
DIVORCE
Guan divorced Tan in July last year and he is now in detention under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act.
Guan, who was then his third wife, was also ordered to go to the CPIB headquarters at Lengkok Bahru, off Jalan Bukit Merah, later that day.
She left her home with the laptops in a white paper bag and left them with limousine driver Alan Chen De Zhan before entering the CPIB HQ.
While he was waiting for her at a nearby coffee shop, a team of CPIB officers took Mr Chen in for questioning. They also seized the bag and its contents.
On May 16, the court heard that Guan lied to Ms Lim during the 2013 interview, claiming that she left home with only her handbag.
But when the China-born Singaporean took the stand the next day, she insisted that Ms Lim never asked her about the laptops.
Yesterday, Judge Lee said that on the surface, this appears to be a case of one person's word against another's.
She added: "However, their words can be corroborated or contradicted by their actions and other evidence.
"There was no cause for me to doubt Ms Lim."
For instance, on May 17, Guan testified that as of June 6, 2013, she was not aware Tan was under investigation for international match fixing.
She only admitted later that she knew about his alleged illegal activities at that time after Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Jasmin Kaur pressed on despite her repeated denials.
"This reflected her lack or credibility," Judge Lee said yesterday.
She also said that Guan's actions a few hours after Tan told her to safekeep the laptops showed that she knew they contained incriminating information and must be kept away from the CPIB.
During the trial, Guan admitted that she phoned convicted match fixer Eric Ding Si Yang, 33, while she was on her way to the CPIB.
Judge Lee said: "The accused's action in phoning Ding who was not her close friend at this unusual time...to ask about the laptops, was indicative that she was nervous and concerned about the laptops which were important."
Yesterday, DPP Kaur urged the judge to jail Guan for between four and six months.
She added: "In this case, the motivation behind the provision of false information is much more sinister - it was to actively obstruct the CPIB from obtaining evidence that was likely to be relevant to international match fixing."
Guan's lawyer, Mr Foo Cheow Ming, asked the court to sentence his client to either a fine or a conditional discharge.
He said: "She clearly did not destroy or dispose of the laptops. It's clear that our client acted more out of panic than anything else."
Guan, who is out on a bail of $10,000, will be sentenced next Monday. For giving false information to the CPIB, she can be jailed up to a year and fined up to $10,000.
About alleged match-fixer Dan Tan
Interpol described him as "the leader of the world's most notorious match-fixing syndicate".
Singaporean businessman Dan Tan Seet Eng, now 51, was first arrested on Sept 16, 2013. He was detained under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act (CLTPA) the following month.
The law allows the Minister for Home Affairs to order the detention of suspected criminals without trial. The orders are for up to a year and are reviewed annually.
After two years behind bars, Tan was released on Nov 25 last year, following an appeal against his detention.
A three-judge panel that included Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon ruled in a landmark judgment that while Tan may have run an international match-fixing syndicate from Singapore, his activities did not pose a threat to the public safety, peace and good order here.
However, police re-arrested him six days later for "suspected involvement in criminal activities" and detained him again without trial under the CLTPA.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
