Jailed Singapore Ex-Minister Subramaniam Iswaran Transitioned to House Arrest

In a groundbreaking move, former Singapore minister Subramaniam Iswaran, who was jailed for corruption, has shifted to house arrest after showing good conduct in prison.

Subramaniam Iswaran, a former senior minister in Singapore, has been moved from prison to house arrest as he serves the remainder of his 12-month sentence for corruption. Iswaran was imprisoned on October 7 after admitting to accepting gifts exceeding S$403,000 ($300,000; £240,000) during his time in office and obstructing justice, marking a rare case of corruption involving a public official in Singapore.

The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) reported that Iswaran's transfer to home detention occurred on Friday. Inmates can be reassessed for home detention based on factors such as behaviour in prison and rehabilitation progress. Authorities noted that Iswaran was assessed as a "low risk" of re-offending, did not engage in any misconduct while incarcerated, and has strong familial support.

While under home detention, Iswaran will need to wear an electronic monitoring device and is obligated to regularly check in with prison officials for counselling sessions. Local media captured images of Iswaran enjoying a meal at his residence following the move.

Iswaran's sentence was notably longer than either the prosecution or his defence had anticipated during the trial. The judge emphasized during sentencing that officials like Iswaran bear a heavier responsibility for misusing their position for personal gain. His trial is particularly significant as he is the first political office holder to be prosecuted for such offenses in Singapore in the last 50 years—since the investigation into then-development minister Teh Cheang Wan in 1986, who tragically died by suicide prior to charges being filed.