SINGAPORE — One of the 10 suspects in the S$2.8 billion money laundering case, Wang Baosen, 31, will be detained a further four to six weeks to allow the authorities to complete their investigations.

In the State Courts on Wednesday (Oct 4), Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Michelle Tay sought an adjournment in order to facilitate the authorities’ ongoing probe and determine how to proceed with the legal case.

“Time is needed to wrap up with investigations (and) to come to a position for the subsequent prosecution,” she said.

Wang, a China national, appeared via video link from his remand centre, after he was denied bail as he was deemed to be a flight risk. The court cases of the other nine suspects are pending as well, and none has been granted bail. 

The anti-money laundering probe, said to be Singapore’s largest, led to three ministerial statements during Tuesday’s parliamentary sitting setting out the country’s strategy to combat the scourge of overseas criminals laundering their money here.

Currently, a total of 152 properties including good class bungalows, 62 vehicles, 294 luxury bags and 546 pieces of jewellery have been seized from the suspects, among other assets.

Court documents showed that Wang faces two charges involving possessing benefits from criminal conduct such as illegal remote gambling. The assets in question involve more than S$112,000 in Singapore and international currencies, as well as a car.

In court on Wednesday, DPP Tay said that investigators will be taking statements from Wang and that his defence lawyer has been notified about this.

Wang’s defence counsel, Mr Adrian Wee of Lighthouse Law, said that he did not object to the adjournment and asked for the case to be moved to a pre-trial conference for case management purposes. The prosecution did not object to this.

District Judge Brenda Tan set Wang’s case to be heard again on Nov 15 for a pre-trial conference.