Sex-for-grades trial: A Pen For My Friend

I 'liked' NUS law professor 'as a friend' at that time: Ex-student
Updated 03:01 PM Jan 10, 2013
SINGAPORE - The National University of Singapore law student at the centre of the sex-for-grades corruption trial was the first witness who took to the stand this morning. Ms Darrine Ko told the court that she knew law don, Associate Professor Tey Tsun Hang, well.

This was the reason why she bought a Mont Blanc pen worth S$740 and gave it to Associate Professor Tey. She said that it was a "belated birthday present" and she "liked" Mr Tey "as a friend" during that time.

Associate Professor Tey, a former District Judge, has been charged with six counts of obtaining gratification from his student between May 2010 and June 2010. As his trial began this morning, Associate Professor Tey, 41, sought to conduct his own defence. But Chief District Judge Tan Siong Thye rejected this.
 
Instead, the judge ordered defence counsel Peter Low to assist Associate Professor Tey in the trial, but not conduct the cross-examinations. The Prosecution has lined up 14 witnesses for its case. The trial continues later today. AMANDA LEE

Background Behind the NUS Law Sex-for-grade Scandal

Prof Tey Tsun Hang, a National University of Singapore (NUS) professor, faces six corruption charges for allegedly showing favour to his former student, Darinne Ko Wen Hui, between May and July 2010.
 
Prof Tey is the favourite of the current NUS Law School Dean, Prof Simon Chesterman, who also happens to be the son-in-law of Singapore's President Tony Tan. He is also a close associate of various judges and men in the corridors of power that rule. These connections allowed Tey – a Singapore PR and Malaysian –to be appointed as a district judge and state counsel in Singapore.  

Darinne Ko – a ‘pious’ and an extremely ‘devoted’ Christian – initiated contact with Prof Tey and seduced him in exchange for superior grades. In addition to sexual favours, Tey allegedly received from Darinne a Mont Blanc pen worth S$740, two tailor-made shirts valued at S$236.20, an iPod Touch worth S$160 and payment of a bill amounting to S$1,278.60

Alas, Prof Tey didn’t stop at one.

In his first affidavit, it was revealed that Prof Tey had corruptly obtaining sex from three female and two male former students in his Law Faculty office as corrupt gratification from them. The two male students are Xiao Fuhong (萧富宏) and Zhang Weiyang (张伟扬) and the female students are Zhou Yiling (周意玲) and Lin Meiyi (林美仪). 

Despite all these revelations, Prof Tey continued to work and teach on-campus after his first arrest:

Upping the Ante

Fearing he was losing public support, Prof Tey began an online astroturfing campaign in local forum Sammyboy.com to try and rescue his image.
 
Prof Tey also sought the assistance of popular opposition MP Silvia Lim to partner incumbent lawyer Peter Low (you may know him as the Lawyer representing the SMRT Strikers). The decision was purportedly made as Tey was worried about Peter Low’s track record of losing high profile media cases.

Mysteriously, Sylvia Lim has dropped out of the case, and Tey has discharged the services of Peter Low in order to represent himself. The reasons for these numerous changes are unknown at his point. But the SHS is watching this case closely and will update whenever possible.

Latest Update

Yahoo has reported that Darinne Ko lost her virginity to Prof Tey and the report has listed down the cost of the items which Prof Tey had obtained from Darinne Ko.
 
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Note from SHS editor: The SHS is seeking photos or steamy court room details. If you have any updates on this case, you can email me directly at sghallofshame@gmail.com. SHS ensures confidentially of all information received.
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Prof Tey is Rumpole in Sammyboy?

I recently received an article from a reader which is the kind that I normally would not publish. The allegations are unverifiable. This guy claim that Prof Tey is masqueradingin sammyboy forum and commenting about his case using the name Rumpole. I do not know how true so you guys be the judge of this.

Hi,

I'm writing to expose this Prof Tey who is the main actor in the sex-for-grade case which involves NUS graduate, Darrine Ko. (See this article for detail of the matter http://temasektimes.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/nus-law-prof-charged-with-obtaining-sexual-favors-from-student-darinne-ko-wen-hui/)

For a person of his status, he would definitely not go down without a fight. For those who are unfamilar with him, this is a brief on his career in Singapore.

(Tsun Hang Tey is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore. He was previously a Law Clerk to the former Chief Justice of Singapore, a District Judge of the Subordinate Courts, and a State Counsel at the Legislation Division of the Attorney-General’s Chambers of Singapore. He was a member of the editorial committees of the Singapore Journal of Legal Studies and the Singapore Journal of International and Comparative Law, and the Executive Committee of the Centre for Commercial Law Studies. Until 2008, he was the Deputy Chief Editor of Singapore Year Book of International Law. He is now the Director of Centre for Commercial Law Studies and the Editor of the Asian Journal of Comparative Law.)

With such extensive experience in the legal service, he probably knows all this:

• The Singapore legal system and its loop-hole, if any.
• The ingredient required to make up the case against him.
• The considerations made by AGC even before charging him.
• The common mistakes committed by investigators and what they would normally miss.

He knows that his case is of public interest and many people will follow it closely when the trial starts. He also knows that (like it or not) public perception would also affect the outcome of the case and there had been many examples previously that public reaction matters in the final judgement.

This is why there had been articles claiming that the charge was because he had written politically charged academic publications against the state. The objective of those articles were to gain support from government critics and create noise within the cyberspace and hopefully it will pressurised the authorities. We shouldn't forget that this guy in question is a Malaysian who married a Japanese and frequents Hong Kong. Other than his Singapore based job which he had made very good money from, this guy practically has no relation with Singapore.

One of the earliest persona who spoke up strongly for Prof Tey is this “Rumpole” from the infamous sammyboy forum. Soon after all hell break loose with the MSM publishing about the case, he started a thread “Fixing the Opposition Again? Please don’t be fooled by the Latest Sex Scandal!” (http://sammyboy.com/showthread.php?123517-Fixing-the-Opposition-Again-Please-don%E2%80%99t-be-fooled-by-the-Latest-Sex-Scandal!). Similar to Tey, “Rumpole” postings were on legal matters, Hong Kong vs Singapore and of course mainly on Prof Tey's impending case. “Rumpole” only interest in contributing to the forum seems to be for furthering his course in “defending” Tey. His subject of interest and knowledge also seem so close to Tey, one could not but wonder if Tey could very well be “Rumpole” in sammyboy.com. More so since Tey knows that he cannot comment publicly while his case is still under investigation. The objective? To create awareness, alliance and maybe even sympathy prior to the case being mention in the open court. This is what some call it “preparing the ground”.

I guess after the attention was recently shifted to former Director CNB's sex-for-favour case, Rumpole felt for the need to maintain his presence and started a new thread “Rumpole Strikes Again: A Tale of Two Dioceses & Two Peoples” (http://sammyboy.com/showthread.php?128424-Rumpole-Strikes-Again-A-Tale-of-Two-Dioceses-amp-Two-Peoples). This time to stir the sentiment of the local Catholic community and to form alliance with whoever he can. I guess people who read about the posting made by Rumpole should bear this in mind that he could very well be a person with personal vested interest.