Jailed Singapore ex-minister moved to house arrest

A former senior minister in Singapore, sentenced to prison following a high-profile trial last year, has now been permitted to serve the remainder of his 12-month sentence at home. This decision has garnered significant public attention, sparking discussions about Singapore's prison system and its application of justice.

Subramaniam Iswaran was imprisoned on October 7th after admitting to accepting gifts worth more than S$403,000 (approximately $300,000; £240,000) and obstructing justice during his tenure. Iswaran's case has drawn widespread attention in Singapore, a nation that prides itself on its image of integrity, as corruption cases involving public officials are relatively rare in the country, underscoring the importance of maintaining public trust.

The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) informed local media that Iswaran was transferred to home detention on Friday. In Singapore, prisoners may be transferred to home detention after an assessment that includes factors such as their behavior in prison and their response to rehabilitation, allowing for a more reintegrative approach to incarceration.

Authorities stated that Iswaran was deemed to be "at low risk of re-offending, did not commit any infractions in prison, and has strong family support." During his home detention, he will be required to wear an electronic monitoring tag and report to prison authorities for counseling. Local broadcaster CNA reported that Iswaran was seen having dinner at home on Friday, indicating the start of his home detention period.

Iswaran's 12-month prison sentence was longer than the terms sought by both his defense team and the prosecutors during the trial. In the October sentencing, the judge stated that public officials like Iswaran should also be considered "more culpable in abusing their position to obtain valuable gifts." Iswaran is the first political official in Singapore in the past 50 years to face trial in court. The last time a minister faced a corruption investigation was in 1986, when National Development Minister Teh Cheang Wan was investigated for accepting bribes, and he committed suicide before he could be formally charged.