Sujin Thomas describes the mixed emotions at Tang Wee Sung's sentencing.

THE crowd of people gathered in the packed courtroom for the sentencing of retail tycoon Tang Wee Sung, 56, this afternoon was indicative of the landmark case.

After District Judge Ng Peng Hong read out his sentence at about 3pm, Tang sat still in the dock, showing no emotion.

It was only minutes later, when the packed crowd of supporters – made up of family members, schoolmates from Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) and others – began leaving that he glanced back at them.

Still, he did not utter a word or show any emotion.

It was quite different outside the courtroom, where friends and family members mingled with mixed emotions.

Those close to Tang were elated that he had only received a day’s jail.

Mr Keith Chua, 55, a businessman who has known Tang since their primary school days in ACS, was among them. He felt that the judge had been “merciful”.

He was accompanied by five other former classmates and said that Tang usually hosted gatherings at his Farrer Road bungalow every few months.

However, the president of the Singapore Retailers’ Association Jannie Tay felt even a day was too much.

With tears in her eyes, she told reporters: “Why can’t there be more sympathy? He's just a man who has been waiting three years for a kidney transplant.”

When the buzz died down, reporters began gathering outside the Subordinate Courts, waiting for Tang’s release, which was estimated to be at about 5.30pm.

His lawyer, Senior Counsel Cavinder Bull, would not say where his client had been taken to.

Reporters soon got wind that Tang had been taken to Queenstown Remand Prison, and would be released just after 5pm.

What ensued was a scramble to get there as soon as possible.

Outside the prison, Tang’s lawyers waited patiently under a covered shelter accompanied by family members, who arrived in separate cars.

At 5.45pm, Tang calmly walked out to the front gate, unfazed by a barrage of popping camera flashes.

After completing some paperwork at the guard house, he walked out with Mr Bull.

His only words: “I’m fine”

With that, he got into his black Audi sedan and that, as they say, was that.

His total jail time? About two hours.