Tang Wee Sung, a retail tycoon who is one of the richest men in Singapore, has been sentenced to one day in jail and fined the equivalent of about $12,000 because he tried to buy a kidney.

Singapore bans organ trading and Tang's case has been huge news in Singapore.

Tang, who is gravely ill, was convicted of entering a contract to buy a kidney for the equivalent of $222,000 earlier this year. He was also convicted to falsely claiming that the Indonesian donor, who was to receive the equivalent of $17,000, was a relative. The deal was never concluded. Wang Chin Sing, the go-between, who arranged for the donation, has admitted to 10 charges and was to be sentenced on Saturday.