In a notable legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a guilty verdict of lying to a parliamentary committee.
Earlier this year, 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 brief hearing before a full public gallery on Friday, the presiding judge stated that the evidence presented justified Singh's guilty verdict.
Reaction from the Accused
Singh, who heads the main political opposition, expressed that he was "disheartened" with the decision but acknowledged it "completely and unequivocally".
He settled his fines at the court complex following the hearing. "It's best to settle this now," he commented to reporters.
Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh keeps his parliamentary seat and affirmed his commitment to keep working for Singaporeans alongside his colleagues.
Background of the Case
The controversy began in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had witnessed police act inappropriately towards a sexual assault victim.
She later admitted her anecdote was untrue, but testified during a official inquiry that party leaders, such as Singh, had advised her to "stick to the story" despite knowing it was a lie.
Khan has since resigned from both the party and parliament. She was penalized S$35,000 for lying and abusing her parliamentary privilege.
Court's Rationale
In February, the court ruled that Singh's actions were "strongly indicative" that he did not want Khan to correct the falsehood.
Singh, who maintained his innocence during the entire proceedings, argued that he had wanted to allow Khan space to deal with what was a delicate issue.
The Appeal Arguments
During the November court session, Singh's lawyer contended that the initial court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" in its initial judgment.
The defense also sought to cast doubt on the credibility of Khan and her assistants, who served as witnesses.
When questioned why Singh appeared to be "taking no action" to have Khan own up in the weeks following his discovery of her lie, his lawyer explained that he had other urgent professional and personal matters to attend to.
The state's attorneys, however, argued that Singh's inaction, coupled with other evidence, proved he never intended for Khan to tell the truth.
Broader Context
Singh's case is notable as one of the very few criminal convictions against a current opposition parliamentarian.
Critics have in the past alleged Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to pursue its rivals—allegations that the government have consistently denied.
The Workers' Party is the only opposition party in Singapore's current parliament, where it occupies 12 out of 99 seats.
