🔗 Share this article Singapore Court Confirms Guilty Verdict for Opposition Leader Pritam Singh Pritam Singh was present at a court session in November to challenge his guilty verdict. In a significant legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a conviction of providing false statements to a legislative panel. In February, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two offenses related to 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 presiding judge ruled that the evidence presented upheld Singh's conviction. Reaction from the Accused Singh, who leads the main political opposition, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the decision but accepted it "fully and without reservation". He promptly paid his fines at the court complex after the hearing. "It's best to settle this now," he commented to reporters. Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh keeps his parliamentary seat and stated his commitment to continue serving Singaporeans alongside his colleagues. The Underlying Saga The controversy originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had seen police misbehave towards a sexual assault victim. She later confessed her anecdote was fabricated, but testified during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, such as Singh, had instructed 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 lying and abusing her parliamentary privilege. Court's Rationale In February, the court ruled that Singh's actions were "highly suggestive" that he did not want Khan to correct the falsehood. Singh, who maintained his innocence throughout the trial, argued that he had wanted to allow Khan space to deal with what was a delicate issue. The Appeal Arguments During the November court session, Singh's legal counsel argued that the initial court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" in its initial judgment. The defense also attempted to question the reliability of Khan and her aides, who provided testimony. 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, maintained that Singh's lack of action, alongside other evidence, demonstrated he never intended for Khan to tell the truth. Broader Context Singh's case is notable as one of the rare criminal convictions against a current opposition parliamentarian. Critics have in the past alleged Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to target its rivals—allegations 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.