Judicial Body Affirms Guilty Verdict for Opposition Leader Pritam Singh

In a major legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a conviction of lying to a legislative panel.

Earlier this year, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two charges connected with his management of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had admitted to giving false testimony in parliament.

During a brief hearing before a full public gallery on Friday, the judge ruled that the evidence presented upheld Singh's conviction.

Leader's Response

Singh, who leads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the ruling but acknowledged it "completely and unequivocally".

He settled his fines at the courthouse following the hearing. "It's best to settle this now," he commented to the press.

Despite the conviction, Singh keeps his seat in parliament and stated his intention to keep working for Singaporeans alongside his colleagues.

Background of the Case

The controversy began in 2021 when Raeesah Khan claimed in parliament that she had seen police act inappropriately towards a sexual assault victim.

She later confessed her anecdote was fabricated, but testified during a official inquiry that party leaders, including Singh, had instructed her to "stick to the story" even though they were aware 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.

Judicial Reasoning

In February, the court determined that Singh's actions were "strongly indicative" that he did not want Khan to clarify her lie.

Singh, who protested his innocence throughout the trial, argued that he had wanted to allow Khan space to handle what was a delicate issue.

The Appeal Arguments

During the November court session, Singh's legal counsel contended that the lower court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" in its initial judgment.

The defense also attempted to question the reliability of Khan and her aides, 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 stated that he had other urgent professional and personal matters to attend to.

The prosecution, however, argued that Singh's inaction, alongside other evidence, proved he never wanted Khan to come clean.

Wider Implications

Singh's case is significant as one of the rare criminal convictions against a current opposition parliamentarian.

Observers have in the past alleged Singapore's government of using the judiciary to target its rivals—charges that authorities have always rejected.

The Workers' Party is the sole rival group in Singapore's current parliament, where it holds 12 out of 99 seats.