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SINGAPORE: The middleman in the kidneys-for-sale case, Wang Chin Sing has pleaded guilty to five charges related to the case.
This includes instigating retail magnate Tang Wee Sung and donor Sulaiman Damanik to lie to the Commissioner of Oaths that no money changed hands and that they were related.
Wang, who appeared in court on Friday, also admitted to brokering the deal for S$300,000.
Another five charges will be taken into consideration when the sentence is passed next Friday.
In mitigation, his lawyer Shashi Nathan said Wang was not a mastermind of the transaction nor was it a pre-meditated scheme to exploit the poor and vulnerable donor, but merely a facilitator.
In fact, Mr Nathan said there are other persons who played bigger roles in the arrangements and who stood to gain more financially.
He added that although Wang did receive money for ensuring that the transaction went ahead smoothly, his actions were not motivated by greed or financial gains, but rather sympathy and compassion for the patients who needed the kidneys.
Mr Nathan also said that his client is remorseful and regrets his involvement in the cases. In view of all these, the defence is suggesting a 12-week deterrent sentence.
However, the prosecution urged for a harsher sentence, for what it called "reprehensible conduct".
"Given what other accused persons have been dealt with, my client and I talked about it and felt that that was a fair and accurate sentence," said Mr Nathan.
Throughout the three-hour session, Wang stood in the dock, occasionally muttering to himself. At one point, he even looked tearful when his lawyer told the court how he constantly worries that the court case will adversely affect his family, especially his son who is sitting for his "O" levels this year.
Wang is the fourth person to admit guilty in the country's first kidneys-for-sale case.
Retail magnate Tang Wee Sung on Wednesday also pleaded guilty for his role in the case.
The two donors, Indonesians Toni and Sulaiman Damanik had been dealt with earlier. - CNA/vm
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