Five people allegedly involved in the misuse of funds at the City Harvest Church were charged in the Subordinate Court this morning, reported local television Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

CNA said they arrived separately but their charges were read out in the dock together.

City Harvest Church founder Kong Hee faces three charges while senior pastor Tan Ye Peng faces 10 charges. Finance manager Tan Shao Yuen faces seven charges.

Senior member Chew Eng Han faces 10 charges and former secretary of the church’s management board Lam Leng Hung faces three charges.

The five allegedly diverted S$23 million of the church’s money to fund Ho Yeow Sun’s music career in the United States. Ho is Kong’s wife.

CNA said they were charged for another S$26.6 million of misappropriated funds, used to redeem ‘sham bonds’ to cover their tracks.

The case will be mentioned again in a month’s time.

Earlier, the Straits Times reported that Kong, Tan Ye Peng and three other church leaders were picked up by the police at their homes early yesterday morning and taken in for questioning over the alleged misuse of church funds as well as alleged breaches under charity laws.

This latest development comes two years after the Commercial Affairs Department started a probe into the alleged misuse of church funds in May 2010.

- Bernama