Singapore Court Upholds Guilty Verdict for Political Rival Pritam Singh

In a major court decision, Singapore's main political rival Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a guilty verdict of lying to a parliamentary committee.

In February, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two offenses connected with his management of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had confessed to lying in parliament.

During a short hearing before a full public gallery on Friday, the judge stated that the evidence presented supported Singh's conviction.

Reaction from the Accused

Singh, who heads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disheartened" with the decision but accepted it "fully and without reservation".

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

Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh keeps his seat in parliament and affirmed his intention to keep working for Singaporeans together with his party members.

Background of the Case

The controversy originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had seen police misbehave towards a survivor.

She later confessed her account was fabricated, but stated during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, such as Singh, had instructed her to "stick to the story" even though they were aware it was a lie.

Khan has since stepped down from both the party and parliament. She was penalized S$35,000 for perjury and misusing her legislative immunity.

Judicial Reasoning

In February, the court determined that Singh's actions were "highly suggestive" that he did not want Khan to correct the falsehood.

Singh, who maintained his innocence during the entire proceedings, countered that he had wanted to allow Khan space to deal with what was a delicate issue.

Points Contested

During the November court session, Singh's legal counsel contended that the initial 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 after learning of her lie, his lawyer stated that he had other pressing commitments to manage.

The state's attorneys, however, argued that Singh's lack of action, alongside other evidence, demonstrated he never wanted Khan to tell the truth.

Broader Context

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

Observers have previously accused Singapore's government of using the judiciary to pursue its political opponents—charges that authorities have consistently denied.

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