Judicial Body Upholds Guilty Verdict for Political Rival Pritam Singh

In a major legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a guilty verdict of providing false statements to a parliamentary committee.

Earlier this year, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two offenses 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 judge stated that the evidence presented supported Singh's guilty verdict.

Leader's Response

Singh, who heads 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 after the hearing. "Might as well get it done," he remarked to reporters.

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

Background of the Case

The entire episode began in 2021 when Raeesah Khan claimed in parliament that she had witnessed 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 instructed her to "stick to the story" 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.

Court's Rationale

In February, the court determined 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.

The Appeal Arguments

During the November court session, Singh's legal counsel argued that the lower court had "overlooked key proof" in its initial judgment.

The defense also sought to cast doubt on the reliability 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, maintained that Singh's lack of action, coupled with other evidence, demonstrated he never intended for Khan to come clean.

Broader Context

Singh's case is notable 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 consistently denied.

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