Yesterday, CAD officers visited the offices of individuals and firms under investigation and secured records and accounts. They also spoke to the church's founder, Reverend Kong Hee, and 16 other people involved in handling its finances.
Its services, congregations and religious activities would not be disrupted by the investigations, the CAD and COC said.
Earlier high-profile probes by the CAD into major charities' financial irregularities that of National Kidney Foundation in 2005, and Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre in 2008 took at least three months. Both charities' chiefs were jailed for offences related to the irregularities.
In an e-mail to church members, City Harvest executive pastor Derek Dunn said that the church is "cooperating fully with the investigation of the allegations". When contacted, the church declined to comment.
Sales executive Gavin Png, 30, a City Harvest member since 1997, said: "I have faith that the church is clean. I think it has been very forthcoming about its use of funds."
kennyc@sph.com.sg |