In brief
The Singapore Court has upheld the conviction of opposition leader Pritam Singh for lying to a parliamentary committee, which arose from a scandal involving former lawmaker Raeesah Khan. Singh was fined S$14,000 ($10,800) earlier this year and expressed disappointment over the ruling while vowing to continue serving in parliament as the opposition party leader.
Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a guilty verdict of lying to a parliamentary committee.
In February, Singh was fined S$14,000 ($10,800; £8,100) for two charges related to his handling of Raeesah Khan, a former lawmaker from his party who confessed to lying to parliament.
In a short hearing to a packed court public gallery on Friday, the judge stated that Singh's conviction was supported by the evidence presented.
Singh, who leads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed his disappointment but accepted the verdict 'fully and without reservation.'
After the hearing, he paid the fines at the courthouse, stating, 'Might as well get it done,' to reporters.
Despite the conviction, Singh retains his parliamentary seat, affirming his commitment to serve alongside his colleagues for the Singaporean populace.
The Workers' Party currently stands as the only opposition party in Singapore's parliament, holding 12 out of 99 seats.
What to know about the case
The saga began in 2021 when Khan falsely claimed in parliament that she had witnessed police misconduct towards a sexual assault victim. She later admitted the claim was untrue and stated during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, including Singh, urged her to maintain the false narrative despite knowing it was a lie.
Khan has since resigned from both the party and parliament, facing her own penalty of S$35,000 for lying and abusing her parliamentary privilege.
The court determined that Singh's actions indicated he did not want Khan to clarify her lie. However, Singh maintained his innocence, asserting he sought to give Khan time to confront a sensitive issue.
During the appeal, Singh's lawyer argued that the court had disregarded crucial evidence while also challenging the credibility of Khan's testimony and her aides who acted as witnesses.
While the prosecution asserted that Singh's inaction and other evidence proved his intention to prevent Khan from coming clean, Singh's case distinguishes itself as one of the rare criminal convictions against an actively serving opposition lawmaker.
Critics have accused Singapore's government of weaponizing the judiciary against political adversaries, allegations that authorities have consistently denied.
