HIS history of performing death-defying stunts to raise funds for Ren Ci Hospital has earned convicted Buddhist monk Ming Yi a reduction in sentence for his role over an unauthorised $50,000 loan to his former aide.
The High Court on Thursday cut his original 10-month jail term to six months, bringing it lower than the nine-month jail term of his ex-personal assistant Raymond Yeung.
Ming Yi, 48, and Yeung, 35, were convicted by a district court in October last year on charges that included falsifying accounts and misappropriation of funds following a high-profile trial over the unauthorised loan granted to the aide from the charity's coffers in May 2004.
Ming Yi was sentenced to 10 months' jail on four charges; Yeung was given nine months' jail on two charges. Both appealed against their convictions and sentences.
In allowing Ming Yi's appeal against sentence, Justice Tay Yong Kwang said he accepted that misuse of funds in a charitable organisation was a serious offence. However, the judge noted it was public knowlegde that Ming Yi had risked life and limb in much publicised fund-raising efforts.
'In my opinion, one wrongdoing does not have to be so overwhelming that the many good deeds are completely forgotten and interred with the bones,' said Justice Tay.
Justice Tay dismissed Yeung's appeal against sentence, noting that his contribution 'paled in comparison' to Ming Yi's and that Yeung was the one who benefitted and had played an active role in trying to cover up the offence.