Singapore's prime minister announced on Thursday the resignation of his transport chief after he was charged with 27 offences in a corruption probe that has also ensnared a billionaire hotel tycoon.

Transport Minister S Iswaran was arrested in July of 2023 and released on bail in connection with a rare top-level graft investigation in the city-state.

Iswaran, 61, said he would plead not guilty to the charges filed by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau when he appeared in court on Thursday.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong revealed shortly after the hearing that Iswaran had submitted his resignation from the government, parliament and ruling People's Action Party on January 16 after being given formal notice of the charges against him.

Iswaran has also pledged to return the money received as part of his salary and allowances since his arrest, Lee said.

"I reject the allegations in the charges and will now focus on clearing my name," Iswaran wrote in his resignation letter, which was published on the website of the prime minister's office.

Most of the charges against Iswaran relate to corruption, but he also faces one charge of obstruction of justice. Among the accusations, Iswaran allegedly accepted tickets to high-profile sporting events from hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng, one of Singapore's richest people.

The case has gripped Singapore, which prides itself on a clean government where graft and scandals involving political leaders are rare.

Civil servants in the city-state are paid handsomely to discourage corruption, with many cabinet ministers' annual salaries exceeding S$1 million (HK$5.82 million).

The last corruption case involving a minister was in 1986 when the national development minister was probed for allegedly accepting bribes. The minister died before he could be charged in court. (AFP/Reuters)
_____________________________
Last updated: 2024-01-18 HKT 11:20