Singapore Court Confirms Guilty Verdict for Political Rival Pritam Singh

In a major court decision, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a conviction of providing false statements to a legislative panel.

Earlier this year, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two offenses connected with his handling 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 stated that the evidence presented upheld Singh's guilty verdict.

Reaction from the Accused

Singh, who leads the main political opposition, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the decision but acknowledged it "completely and unequivocally".

He settled his fines at the court complex after the hearing. "Might as well get it done," he commented to the press.

Despite the conviction, Singh keeps his parliamentary seat and affirmed his intention to keep working for Singaporeans together with his party members.

Background of the Case

The entire episode began in 2021 when Raeesah Khan claimed in parliament that she had seen police act inappropriately towards a survivor.

She later confessed her anecdote was fabricated, but testified during a official inquiry that party leaders, such as Singh, had advised her to "continue with the narrative" despite knowing 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 correct the falsehood.

Singh, who maintained his innocence throughout the trial, countered that he had wanted to give Khan time to deal with what was a sensitive issue.

Points Contested

During the November court session, Singh's lawyer argued 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 asked why Singh appeared to be "doing nothing" to have Khan confess in the weeks after learning of her lie, his lawyer stated that he had other urgent professional and personal matters to manage.

The state's attorneys, however, argued that Singh's inaction, coupled with other evidence, demonstrated he never intended for Khan to come clean.

Broader Context

Singh's case is significant as one of the very few criminal convictions against a sitting opposition lawmaker.

Critics have in the past alleged Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to target its rivals—allegations that authorities have always rejected.

The Workers' Party is the only opposition party in Singapore's present legislature, where it occupies 12 out of 99 seats.