23/05/2015

City Harvest Trial

Church co-founder Sun Ho takes the stand

City Harvest Church (CHC) co-founder Sun Ho never asked how much sales her music albums had chalked up, but was “under the impression” they sold well, with platinum awards to boot, she testified this morning.

It was the first time the 42-year-old was taking the stand in the trial involving six of the church’s leaders, including her husband and co-founder Kong Hee.

The question of the “wild fluctuations” in her sales figures reported by different sources had been put to her by CHC’s former investment manager Chew Eng Han, who called Ho as a witness.

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CHC Pastor Kong Hee's Popstar Wife Sun Ho Claims Multi-Million 'Crossover' Project Was Meant to Serve the Church and Not Herself
Singer Sun Ho attending the Grammy Awards in this undated photo

Sun Ho, the co-founder of Singapore's City Harvest Church and wife of lead pastor Kong Hee, took the stand for the first time on Tuesday in the long-standing case against Kong and five other CHC leaders accused of misusing millions of church funds for Ho's career. The singer claimed that the Crossover project was meant to serve the mission of the church, and not her own career. 

The Straits Times reported on Tuesday that Ho, who has not been charged herself, said that the Crossover project was "always about the church."

The six CHC members are being accused of funneling money into Ho's career through sham bond investing in the management company called Xtron, which the prosecution says was operated by CHC's leadership. The six accused face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of having misused the $19.2 million in church funds in question.
 

related:
Colleague of Kong Hee Claims Congregants Don't Feel Deceived in Misuse Funds Case 
Kong Hee & CHC Leaders Had Control Over Alleged Sham Company, Prosecutors Say 
Pastor Kong Hee & CHC Members Raised Church's Budget Deficit, Prosecution Alleges 
CHC Deputy Senior Pastor Accused of 'Lying & Deception' by Prosecution

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Church efforts 'not for ambition, personal gain'
Serina Wee disagreed she knew the bonds were a sham and that she had knowingly conspired with the others to misappropriate church funds


The Crossover Project at the centre of the City Harvest Church trial was "always about the church" and not about herself, said pop singer Sun Ho on Tuesday.

Testifying in court, where she is on the stand for the first time since the City Harvest trial started in May 2013, Ms Ho also said she believed the project was a success.

City Harvest Church's (CHC) former finance manager Serina Wee yesterday said she would never break the law.

related:
Kong Hee 'lacked full faith in wife's music'
City Harvest trial: 'Suntec tender was rigged'
City Harvest trial: No victims, so there can't be any CBT case

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Full Coverage:
AsiaOne: Crossover Project 'impacted' Jay Chou, says Sun Ho
Straits Times: City Harvest Trial: Sun Ho 'didn't know number of Mandarin albums sold'
TODAYonline: CHC co-founder Sun Ho thought album would be a hit in US
Malay Mail: City Harvest Church co-founder was 'under the impression' her music
Christian Post: Kong Hee's Popstar Wife Sun Ho Claims Multi-Million 'Crossover
AsiaOne: City Harvest Church trial: Crossover Project was not about herself, says pop
Channel News Asia: City Harvest Church co-founder Sun Ho takes the stand
AsiaOne: City Harvest trial: Church efforts 'not for ambition, personal gain'
Straits Times: City Harvest Trial: Sun Ho 'didn't know number of Mandarin albums sold'
TODAYonline: CHC co-founder Sun Ho thought album would be a hit in US

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