Singapore Opposition Leader Pritam Singh's Appeal Against Lying Conviction Upheld
Singapore's main opposition leader, Pritam Singh, lost his appeal on Friday against a guilty verdict for lying to a parliamentary committee. Singh, who leads the Workers' Party, expressed disappointment with the decision but stated full acceptance.
Conviction Details
In February, Singh received a S$14,000 ($10,800; £8,100) fine for two charges related to his management of Raeesah Khan, a former lawmaker from his party. Khan had confessed to providing false information to parliament.
Background of the Case
The case originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan made a false claim in parliament about police misconduct towards a sexual assault victim. She later admitted the anecdote was untrue. During a subsequent parliamentary committee investigation, Khan testified that party leaders, including Singh, had instructed her to "continue with the narrative" despite their knowledge of the falsehood.
Khan has since resigned from the Workers' Party and parliament, incurring a S$35,000 fine for lying and abusing parliamentary privilege. The court's February ruling indicated that Singh's actions were "strongly indicative" of a desire for Khan not to clarify her lie.
Appeal Arguments
During his appeal hearing in November, Singh, who maintained his innocence, argued that he intended to allow Khan time to address a sensitive issue. His lawyer contended that the initial court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" and sought to question the credibility of Khan and her aides, who served as witnesses.
When questioned by the judge regarding Singh's perceived inaction to prompt Khan to admit her lie, Singh's lawyer stated that Singh had other urgent professional and personal commitments. Conversely, the prosecution argued that Singh's inaction, combined with other evidence, demonstrated he never intended for Khan to retract her false statement.
Political Context
Singh retains his parliamentary seat and stated his intention to continue serving Singaporeans. His case represents one of the few criminal convictions against a sitting opposition lawmaker in Singapore. Historically, critics have accused the Singaporean government of utilizing the judiciary against political opponents, a claim consistently denied by authorities.