Leader of the Opposition and Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh is scheduled to face trial in October for allegedly lying in Parliament to a Committee of Privileges over the Raeesah Khan case.
During a pre-trial conference held in chambers on Friday (May 31) morning, a total of 16 days were fixed for the trial before Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan, according to the media reports.
The trial is set to begin on Oct 14 and additional segments have been scheduled for Oct 21 to Oct 24, Nov 5 to Nov 8, and Nov 11 to Nov 13 if necessary.
Singh has hired lawyers from a boutique law firm and has pleaded not guilty to the two charges against him.
The charges allege that he made false statements during an inquiry before the Committee of Privileges regarding the case of Ms Khan.
A spokesman from the Attorney-General’s Chambers stated that if Singh is ultimately convicted, they will request the court to levy a fine for each of his charges, taking into account the available evidence and the overall circumstances, as per the report.
If convicted under the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act, Singh could face a maximum penalty of three years in jail, a fine of up to S$7,000, or both per charge.
The trial will be closely watched as Singh continues to maintain his innocence and prepares to defend himself against the allegations.
Raeesah Khan Case : WP Chief Pritam Singh Issues Statement After He Was Charged In Court
On August 3, 2021, Ms Khan, who was then a Member of Parliament for Sengkang GRC, made a claim in Parliament about accompanying a sexual assault victim to a police station where the victim was reportedly treated insensitively. She repeated this claim in the House on October 4, 2021.
Subsequently, it was determined that her claim was false, and on November 1, 2021, Ms Khan confessed to lying in Parliament. She acknowledged that she had been a victim of sexual assault herself and had learned about the victim’s experience during a support group session. Ms Khan resigned on November 30, 2021.
Following an investigation, the parliamentary committee found Ms Khan guilty of abusing privilege and proposed a fine of $35,000 be imposed on her.
Image via Youtube/Govsg
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