Former Singapore Transport Minister Iswaran detained at home
07/02/2025
Iswaran had earlier pleaded guilty and was convicted of four charges of receiving valuables as a civil servant.
SINGAPORE: Former Singapore Transport Minister S. Iswaran was placed under house arrest on Friday, four months after being sentenced to 12 months in jail by the High Court, local media reported.
Iswaran, 62, was sentenced on Oct 3, 2024, after pleading guilty and convicted of four counts of accepting valuables as a public servant and one count of obstructing justice. He began serving his sentence on October 7, 2024.
Responding to queries from The Straits Times (ST), the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) stated that Iswaran had been assessed as suitable for placement in the scheme, as he was considered to be at low risk of reoffending, did not commit any institutional offences in prison, and had strong family support. "Iswaran is eligible for the house arrest scheme," an SPS spokesperson said.
The SPS clarified that eligible prisoners are considered for placement in the home detention scheme after serving at least 14 days or half of their sentence, depending on whichever is longer, after any pardon, ST reported.
"They are assessed for the suitability of the house arrest scheme, taking into account various factors such as their behaviour, progress, and response to rehabilitation during incarceration," the spokesperson added.
Iswaran, like all prisoners in the house arrest scheme, will serve the remainder of his sentence at his residence under certain conditions, including monitoring the curfew using electronic monitoring devices, engaging in work, learning or training, as well as reporting to the SPS for counselling sessions.
