Eric Ding sentenced to 3 years’ jail for bribing football officials

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http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/eric-ding-sentenced-3-years-jail-bribery

Businessman Eric Ding was sentenced to three years’ jail yesterday after being found guilty earlier this month of bribery.

The 32-year-old was found guilty on July 1 of three charges of bribing three Lebanese football officials with prostitutes, as an inducement to fix matches that they would officiate in future.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Alan Loh, who noted that Ding’s wife and daughter are Thai and live in Bangkok, added that as Ding appears to be part of a syndicate, it would not be difficult for syndicate members to support him while on the run.

The prosecution also said although no match-fixing had taken place, Ding should not be given any leniency just because the authorities were efficient in their arrests.

DPP Loh also cited the case of match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal, who fled the country after being convicted of unrelated charges. “There’s no special reason why Ding should be allowed to go on bail,” he said.

But Ding’s lawyers argued that no money had changed hands between Ding and the Lebanese officials.

Defence counsel Hamidul Haq told the court Ding intends to appeal both the conviction and the sentence. Ding was also denied bail pending his appeal, with the prosecution arguing that Ding had every reason to abscond.

Ding told reporters through his lawyer that he looks forward to clearing his name in the High Court.