SINGAPORE: Plain clothes investigators were seen at the headquarters of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and the premises of three local football clubs on Thursday (April 20).
The raids were conducted shortly after SportSG announced that it had filed a police report against Tiong Bahru FC for the misuse of club funds and an alleged attempt by a senior club official to obstruct the completion of audits of S.League sit-out clubs.
The police have confirmed that the report was lodged and that it will take appropriate action against “any persons who have committed offences in Singapore”.
(Photo: Howard Law)
Officers were seen at the FAS headquarters at Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday afternoon, carrying cardboard boxes, asking to speak to personnel in charge.
(Photo: Howard Law)
Local media gathered were not allowed to enter the FAS office. As of 8.45pm, officers were still seen inside the building.
A team of investigators also visited Tiong Bahru FC’s clubhouse at People’s Park Centre at Upper Cross Street.
(Photo: Noor Farhan)
A group of plain clothes officers were seen carrying empty cardboard boxes into the premises.
(Photo: Calvin Seah)
At Hougang United FC’s office located at Hougang stadium, officers seen loading up filled cardboard boxes into police vans.
Channel NewsAsia understands that the offices of Woodlands Wellington FC were also raided by investigators.
Bill Ng, who is vying for the FAS presidency and leads the Team Game Changers slate in the leadership election on Apr 29, is the chairman for both Hougang United FC and Tiong Bahru FC.
In its statement on Thursday, Sport SG expressed concerns over Bill Ng’s S$500,000 donation to the FAS in 2014.
Mr Ng told reporters that the national footballing body had asked him for a donation rather than a sponsorship for the now-defunct football club LionsXII but the general secretary of the FAS Winston Lee produced evidence he claimed rebutted Mr Ng’s claims and showed that Mr Ng was fully aware that his S$500,000 donation was meant for the ASEAN Football Federation.
Channel NewsAsia has contacted the Singapore Police Force and the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) for comment about Thursday evening’s events.
