Singapore Reuters —A Singapore court charged a property billionaire on Friday with obstructing justice and abetting offenses by a disgraced ex-transport minister jailed a day earlier in the city-state’s high-profile government graft case. Iswaran was imprisoned for 12 months for obstructing justice and improperly receiving gifts as a public servant, with Ong a central part of the prosecution’s case. Ong’s firm, Singapore-listed Hotel Properties, requested a trading halt early on Friday following Thursday’s announcement that he would be charged. Ong was charged with one count of abetting Iswaran’s receiving of valuables and one count of obstruction of justice, according to the charge sheet. Channel NewsAsia said Ong’s court hearing was adjourned until pre-trial proceedings on November 15.

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Persons: Ong Beng Seng, Iswaran, Ong, NewsAsia, Ong’s, Iswaran’s, Justice Vincent Hoong Organizations: Singapore Reuters —, Hotel Properties Ltd, Singapore, English Premier League soccer, Doha Locations: Singapore, Doha