🔗 Share this article Judicial Body Upholds Guilty Verdict for Opposition Leader Pritam Singh Pritam Singh attended a court session in November to challenge his guilty verdict. In a significant legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a guilty verdict of providing false statements to a legislative panel. 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. Leader's Response Singh, who leads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the decision 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 the press. Despite the conviction, Singh retains his seat in parliament and affirmed his intention to keep working for Singaporeans alongside his colleagues. The Underlying Saga The entire episode originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had witnessed police misbehave towards a sexual assault victim. She later admitted her account was fabricated, but stated during a official inquiry that party leaders, including Singh, had advised her to "continue with the narrative" even though they were aware it was a lie. Khan has since resigned from both the party and parliament. She was fined S$35,000 for lying and abusing her parliamentary privilege. Court's Rationale In February, the court determined that Singh's actions were "highly suggestive" that he did not want Khan to correct the falsehood. Singh, who protested his innocence during the entire proceedings, argued 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 lawyer contended that the lower court had "overlooked key proof" in its initial judgment. The defense also attempted to question the credibility of Khan and her assistants, who provided testimony. When questioned 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 pressing commitments to manage. The state's attorneys, however, maintained that Singh's lack of action, alongside other evidence, proved he never intended for Khan to tell the truth. Wider Implications Singh's case is significant as one of the very few criminal convictions against a current opposition parliamentarian. Observers have in the past alleged Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to pursue 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.