SINGAPORE: Those accused in the misuse of funds at Singapore's City Harvest Church controversy are reportedly linking up with high-profile lawyers to defend them against the charges, local media reported on Wednesday. Five of the 6 officially charged with misuse of funds, embezzlement and corruption, have said they are hiring top legal counsels to represent them in the case. CHC chairman John Lam Leng Hung, 44, has hired SC Kenneth Tan and lawyer Nicholas Narayanan of Nicholas & Tan. CHC vice-chairman Tan Ye Peng, 39, has hired SC Chelva Rajah and N Sreenivasan of Straits Law. Finance manager Sharon Tan Shao Yuen, 36, is being represented by SC Kannan Ramesh and Jeffrey Ong of JLC Advisors; and Chew Eng Han, 52, by SC Francis Xavier. Former finance chief Serina Wee, 35, who has just been charged today of six counts of criminal breach of trust and four for falsifying accounts, has hired SC Andre Maniam. The mega-church's founder Kong Hee, however, has not yet hired a top legal defense attorney, instead has reached out to Member of Parliament Edwin Tong to represent him instead. The case was adjourned on Wednesday until August 30. In late June, as the church was charged with misusing some $50 million of church money, they appointed New Zealand's Reverend Phil Pringle and Reverend A.R. Bernard to function as advisory pastors in order to maintain services for worshipers without break. Pringle is the founder and senior minister of Christian City Church in Sydney, Australia. But now that he is in Singapore, working for a church embattled with corruption charges, he has become targeted by the Christian watchdog organization C3 Church Watch, which tasks itself with overseeing good practices at Christian organizations globally. The group's blog said that it was “designed to watch and monitor C3 Church and its pastors, specifically Phil Pringle." It has raised questions about the New Zealand-born pastor's religious credentials and teachings. It is the latest in a weeklong battle over embezzlement charges and fears that the situation could potentially see the end of City Harvest, which hosted some 14,000 over the weekend in services. Controversy The church's founder Kong Hee was quick to acknowledge why some 8,000 people had packed into the church a week ago Saturday for his sermon. “I also know that you are all here tonight to hear something from me. “As you know, the past few days have been very challenging for me, my family and my team, and many allegations have been made in the media. “Obviously, as this is an ongoing case, I cannot comment on the details, but please know that there are always two sides to every story. I look forward to the day when I can tell you my side of the story in court," he said. Seven minutes into his sermon about a woman who had worshiped Jesus humbly, Kong stopped and told his congregation, “Yes, I do maintain my integrity." But it comes on the back of much controversy and uncertainty regarding the church's future. Singapore's City Harvest Church Executive Pastor Aries Zulkarnain said last Thursday evening that he and his Church stand by members accused of embezzling and misusing funds. He said the Church will maintain support for the accused throughout the court proceedings. Another pastor from the Church, Bobby Chaw, added that City Harvest has “actively worked to ensure good governance and have complied with codes set by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports." Five members of City Harvest Church were charged by a court on Wednesday of corruption, misuse of funds and embezzlement, Channel NewsAsia reported. The report said the court charged City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee with three charges, while senior pastor Tan Ye Peng faces 10 charges. Finance manager Tan Shao Yuen faces seven charges. Senior member Chew Eng Han also faces 10 charges and former secretary of the church's management board Lam Leng Hung faces three charges. The five allegedly diverted some S$23 million (RM57 million) of the church's money to fund Ho Yeow Sun's music career in the United States. Ho is Kong Hee's wife. CNA said they were charged for another S$26.6 million (RM66 million) of misappropriated funds, used to redeem “sham bonds" to cover their tracks.
