In a notable legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a guilty verdict of lying to a legislative panel.
In February, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two charges connected with his handling of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had confessed to lying in parliament.
During a short hearing before a packed public gallery on Friday, the presiding judge stated that the evidence presented supported Singh's guilty verdict.
Reaction from the Accused
Singh, who leads the main political opposition, expressed that he was "disheartened" with the decision but accepted it "fully and without reservation".
He settled his fines at the court complex following the hearing. "Might as well get it done," he commented to reporters.
Despite the conviction, Singh keeps his parliamentary seat and stated his commitment to keep working for Singaporeans alongside his party members.
Background of the Case
The entire episode originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan claimed in parliament that she had witnessed police misbehave towards a sexual assault victim.
She later admitted her anecdote was fabricated, but testified during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, such as Singh, had instructed her to "continue with the narrative" even though they were aware it was a lie.
Khan has since stepped down from both the party and parliament. She was fined S$35,000 for perjury and abusing her parliamentary privilege.
Judicial Reasoning
In February, the court ruled that Singh's actions were "strongly indicative" that he did not want Khan to clarify her lie.
Singh, who protested his innocence during the entire proceedings, countered that he had wanted to allow Khan space to deal with what was a delicate issue.
Points Contested
During the November court session, Singh's legal counsel argued that the initial court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" in its initial judgment.
The defense also attempted to question the credibility of Khan and her assistants, who served as witnesses.
When questioned why Singh appeared to be "doing nothing" to have Khan own up in the weeks after learning of her lie, his lawyer explained that he had other pressing commitments to attend to.
The state's attorneys, however, argued that Singh's inaction, coupled with other evidence, demonstrated he never intended for Khan to come clean.
Wider Implications
Singh's case is notable as one of the very few criminal convictions against a sitting opposition lawmaker.
Observers have previously accused Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to pursue its political opponents—allegations that the government have always rejected.
The Workers' Party is the sole rival group in Singapore's present legislature, where it holds 12 out of 99 seats.
