Two Indonesians plead guilty in Singapore organ trading case

SINGAPORE (AFP) — Two Indonesian men have pleaded guilty to charges related to illegal organ trading in the first case of its kind in Singapore, the health ministry and media reports said.

The men admitted in court to lying about being related to patients to whom they said they were donating kidneys, and about not being paid for their organs, the ministry said in a statement late Friday.

They face jail terms of up to 12 months or fines of up to 10,000 Singapore dollars (7,300 US) or both when they are sentenced next week, it said.

Organ trading is banned in Singapore and in many other countries to prevent the exploitation of "poor and socially disadvantaged donors who are unable to make informed choices and suffer potential medical risks," the ministry said.

In Singapore about 600 people are on a kidney waiting list with an average wait ...