Update 8 Nov 2024: Pritam Singh's trial adjourned till 17 Feb 2025 as questioning of witnesses concludes
Prosecution & defence will be filing written closing submissions as Court was adjourned till 9:30am on 17 Feb 2025
The verdict for the trial of Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh could be issued in February 2025. The 13th day of the trial saw Singh take the stand once more on Nov. 8 to defend his handling of the lie told by former Workers' Party (WP) member of parliament (MP) Raeesah Khan.
The trial was originally slated to run for 16 days, till Wednesday (Nov. 13). The prosecution, led by Deputy Attorney-General Ang Cheng Hock, wrapped up their cross examination of Singh by lunch. Defence lawyer Andre Jumabhoy completed a short re-examination of Singh after lunch.
After the judge asked if both parties wanted to continue the proceedings in open court, the prosecution and defence said they agreed on another round of submissions. It was agreed that the parties will have until Jan. 13, 2025, to file their closing submissions, and till 31 Jan 2025, to file replies. Court was adjourned till 9:30am on 17 Feb 2025.
Cross-examination wraps up - The rapid exchange between prosecution and Pritam Singh
Deputy Attorney-General Ang Cheng Hock took Pritam Singh through a series of fast-paced questions on Nov 8, 2024 before wrapping up the cross-examination of Singh
After three days of questioning, the prosecution on Friday (Nov 8) completed its cross-examination of Workers' Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh.
The Leader of the Opposition is contesting two charges of lying to a parliamentary committee that was set up to look into the conduct of former Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan. Ms Khan told parliament on Aug 3, 2021, that she had gone to a police station with a rape victim when it did not happen. She then doubled down on the lie in parliament on Oct 4, 2021.
Right before the court took its lunch break on Friday, the prosecution wrapped up its cross-examination of Singh by taking him through a series of fast-paced questions and statements summarising its arguments. Singh mostly responded with "agree" or "disagree".
Day 12 of the trial - ‘Your evidence is incredible,’ says prosecution to Singh
Deputy Attorney-General Ang Cheng Hock on Nov 7 sought to poke holes in the credibility and consistency of Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh’s version of events, as the Leader of the Opposition took the stand for the third day in a trial over his alleged lies.
Mr Ang suggested to Singh that he never had in his mind the idea that former Sengkang GRC MP Raeesah Khan should clarify her lies in Parliament until Oct 11, 2021. When Singh intended for Ms Khan to clarify her lies is central to the prosecution’s case as his two charges are for lying to the Committee of Privileges (COP) that he had, at meetings with her on Aug 8 and Oct 3, 2021, wanted her to do so.
Here are the key points from the second day of Singh’s cross-examination:
- Prosecution - Singh did not intend for Khan to clarify her lie until Oct 11
- Prosecution - clashes with Singh over the meaning of ‘I will not judge you
- Prosecution - questions Singh on the truth of his statements to the COP
- Prosecution - says it is testing Singh’s credibility
- Prosecution - Singh is changing his evidence as he goes along
Day 11 of the trial - Pritam contradicted himself, says prosecution
Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh was accused of contradicting himself in statements to court and a parliamentary committee as he took the stand for the second day in a trial over his alleged lies. On Nov 6, Deputy Attorney-General Ang Cheng Hock put it to Singh that he had given contradictory statements about interactions he had with former Sengkang GRC MP Raeesah Khan.
Singh had given evidence under questioning from his lawyer, Mr Andre Jumabhoy, the day before. The Leader of the Opposition is fighting two charges over lying to the Committee of Privileges (COP) that he had, on Aug 8 and Oct 3, 2021, wanted Ms Khan to clarify her lie to Parliament. The truth of what happened between the two in the lead up to and aftermath of her lies has become a central point of contention between the prosecution and defence.
Here are the key points from Singh’s cross-examination:
- Prosecution - What Singh told the COP about Oct 3 meeting with Khan contradicts what he told the court
- Prosecution - Singh was trying to mislead the COP on his role in Khan’s clarification
- Singh - WP CEC did not need to be informed before Khan came clean
- Prosecution - questions Singh about meeting with Low
- Singh - says Nathan and Loh withheld information from him, are liars
- Singh - says he had ‘nothing to hide’
Day 10 of the trial - Pritam’s defence argues 'no case to answer' on both charges, saying lie must be given 'deliberately'
Live updates from the State Courts on 5 Nov 24
The trial of Workers’ Party secretary-general Pritam Singh resumes today (Nov. 5). Following the first half of the trial, the judge is expected to make a decision on whether or not there is a case to answer.
If there is a case, and if Singh chooses to testify, he will take the stand and face cross-examination by the prosecution. It also remains unknown whether the defence will call other witnesses.
Watch this space as we bring you live updates.
Day 9: Prosecution wraps up case in Pritam Singh’s trial; hearing to resume on Nov 5
Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh arriving at the State Courts on Oct 24
The prosecution on Oct 24 wrapped up its case in the trial of Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh, with the defence’s bid to impeach the credibility of key witness Raeesah Khan still undetermined.
Both sides will have to prepare written submissions before the trial resumes on Nov 5. The judge will then decide if Singh should take the stand.
The ninth day of proceedings saw the court dispense with calling police Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) Roy Lim as a witness, as both prosecution and defence agreed on the facts he would have presented.
related: Will Pritam Singh take the stand? A key question as the WP chief’s trial continues on Nov 5
Day 8: Pritam Singh trial adjourned as lead lawyer Andre Jumabhoy is sick - set to resume on Oct 23
Pritam Singh's lawyer, Mr Andre Jumabhoy, arrives at the State Courts on 21 Oct 2024
The dramatic trial of Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh will be adjourned to Wednesday (Oct 23) afternoon, as his lead lawyer Andre Jumabhoy is sick.
Mr Jumabhoy's colleague, Mr Aristotle Emmanuel Eng, told the court after a stand-down of about an hour on Tuesday morning that Mr Jumabhoy had seen a doctor and received a medical certificate for two days. The certificate states that he is unfit for court. CNA asked Mr Eng after the hearing what illness Mr Jumabhoy is down with, but Mr Eng said he was "also not sure", before adding that he had no comment.
Mr Eng asked the court to stand down the trial until 2.30pm on Wednesday. Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan asked for the medical certificate to be uploaded before asking the prosecution if they had any issues with the adjournment.
related: Prosecution closes case without calling last witness to stand, both sides to file written arguments
Day 7: Tense exchange between defence, prosecution over redacted messages
WP chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh leaving the State Courts on Oct 21
The trial hearing of Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh was adjourned on Oct 21 following a testy exchange between the prosecution and defence over whether redacted messages of former WP cadre Yudhishthra Nathan were relevant to the proceedings and should be tendered in court.
Singh’s lawyer Andre Jumabhoy is seeking the unredacted version of Mr Nathan’s message logs from Oct 4 to Oct 12, 2021. He is also asking for the redacted version of these messages given to the Committee of Privileges (COP) and the reasons for these redactions.
Mr Jumabhoy said this is a reasonable line of inquiry as it goes directly to whether the testimonies of Mr Nathan and his fellow WP cadre Loh Pei Ying, who testified last week, are credible. “I’m not here to challenge the findings of the COP… (but) these witnesses’ credibility is very much an issue,” he added.
Day 6: Ex-WP cadre wanted Raeesah Khan to maintain the lie
Former WP cadre Yudhishthra Nathan arriving at the State Courts on Oct 21
Former Workers’ Party (WP) cadre Yudhishthra Nathan was cross-examined on Oct 21, the sixth day of WP chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh’s trial. Singh is fighting two charges over his alleged lies to a parliamentary committee convened in November 2021 to investigate former Sengkang WP MP Raeesah Khan’s untruth in Parliament.
Ms Khan had, on Aug 3, 2021, told Parliament about how she had accompanied a sexual assault victim to a police station, where the victim was treated insensitively. She repeated the claim before the House on Oct 4 the same year, before admitting to her lie on Nov 1, 2021. Mr Nathan, currently a PhD student at a local university, was a WP member from 2016 to 2022. He served in the party’s media team, policy team, youth wing, as well as its grassroots team in Sengkang, and assisted Ms Khan in her duties as MP.
Here are the key points that came up as Singh’s lawyer, Mr Andre Jumabhoy, cross-examined Mr Nathan:
- Nathan wanted Khan to ‘actively maintain the lie’
- Nathan did not question Singh about Raeesah Khan’s ‘take it to the grave’ message
- Defence claims Nathan was making things up
Day 5: Pritam Singh’s ‘I will not judge you’ remark retold as third witness testifies at WP chief’s trial
Former WP cadre Yudhishthra Nathan took the stand as the third witness on day five of Pritam Singh’s trial on Oct 18
Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh had told two party cadres that he met former Sengkang GRC MP Raeesah Khan on Oct 3, 2021, and told her he would not judge her, regardless of whether she decided to continue her lie or tell the truth to Parliament.
This was the testimony of former WP cadre Yudhishthra Nathan, who took the stand as the third witness on day five of Singh’s trial on Oct 18.
“He said verbatim ‘I will not judge you’,” said Mr Nathan, who was recounting to the court what transpired during a meeting that he and fellow cadre Loh Pei Ying had with Singh on Oct 12, 2021.
Ex-WP cadre describes Raeesah Khan as ‘lao hong’
Former WP cadre Loh Pei Ying & WP chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh arriving at the State Courts on Oct 18
The defence concluded its cross-examination of former Workers’ Party (WP) cadre Loh Pei Ying on Oct 18, the fifth day of the trial of WP chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh.
The court had left off on Oct 17 after she admitted to having lied about the reason for her redaction of a text message in a document submitted to the Committee of Privileges (COP). Singh is fighting two charges over his alleged lies to a parliamentary committee convened in November 2021 to investigate Ms Khan’s untruth in Parliament.
Here are the key points that came up as Ms Loh, who used to serve as Ms Khan’s secretarial assistant, wrapped up her evidence:
- Loh had ‘90%’ intention for Khan to tell the truth
- Loh thought Khan was naive, self-centred and ‘lao hong’
- Loh deleted many messages after giving evidence to COP
Defence grills Loh Pei Ying for a second day
Loh Pei Ying (left) and Pritam Singh's lawyer Andre Jumabhoy (right), each pictured arriving at the State Courts on Oct 18, 2024
Ms Loh Pei Ying, former secretarial assistant to Workers' Party (WP) member of parliament (MP) Raeesah Khan, admitted on the stand on Friday (Oct 18) to deleting messages and calling another WP cadre after giving evidence before the Committee of Privileges (COP), to tell him things beyond what she had been allowed to.
Ms Loh was also questioned about whether she had called Ms Khan "stupid", "naive" and like a "lao hong biscuit". Ms Loh admitted to the latter two descriptions but not the first, clarifying that she meant the Hokkien term "lao hong" as in how Ms Khan can "buckle quite easily under pressure".
This came out when Pritam Singh's lawyer, Mr Andre Jumabhoy, continued his cross-examination of Ms Loh, who is the second witness for the prosecution.
related:
Day 4: Low Thia Khiang advised that ‘WP would survive the fallout’ - Key points from day 4 of Pritam Singh’s trial
Former WP cadre Loh Pei Ying arriving at the State Courts on Oct 17
Former Workers’ Party (WP) cadre Loh Pei Ying was the second witness to take the stand in the trial of WP chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, after the prosecution wrapped up former Sengkang GRC MP Raeesah Khan’s re-examination within half an hour on the morning of Oct 17.
Singh is fighting two charges over his alleged lies to a parliamentary committee convened in November 2021 to investigate Ms Khan’s untruth in Parliament. Ms Khan had, on Aug 3, 2021, told Parliament about how she had accompanied a sexual assault victim to a police station, where the victim was treated insensitively. She repeated the claim before the House on Oct 4 the same year, before admitting to her lie on Nov 1, 2021.
Here are the key points that came up on Oct 17, as the trial court sat for the fourth day:
- Loh views Khan’s lie as a ‘big deal’ and ‘stain on WP’s history’
- Low Thia Khiang’s advice was to clarify the lie, and WP would survive the fallout: Loh
- WP disciplinary panel was ‘performatory’ to Loh
- Loh told Singh he should have stepped up and clarified Khan’s lie in October
- ‘You wouldn’t confront your bosses with their own mistake’
- Singh was ‘composed and relaxed’ during Aug 10, 2021, meeting
Day 3: Excerpts of key exchanges between defence lawyer and Raeesah Khan
Pritam Singh's lawyer Andre Jumabhoy & Ms Raeesah Khan (right), each pictured leaving the State Courts on 15 Oct 2024
The trial of Pritam Singh, Leader of the Opposition and Workers' Party (WP) chief, entered its third day on Wednesday (Oct 16) with the defence resuming its cross-examination of Ms Raeesah Khan. Singh, 48, is contesting two charges of lying in parliament before a Committee of Privileges (COP) that had been convened in 2021 to look into a false anecdote related by Ms Khan.
She had lied during a WP motion in parliament about accompanying a rape victim to a police station, where a police officer allegedly made comments about the woman's attire and consumption of alcohol. Ms Khan is the first witness for the prosecution. In her turn on the stand so far, she has stated that she maintained her lie after the first time she told it in parliament on Aug 3, 2021, because of what Singh or other party leaders said to her.
Here are some excerpts of key exchanges between Singh's lawyer, Mr Andre Jumabhoy, and Ms Khan:
- Mr Jumabhoy points out a contradiction between Singh first saying in an email there are "serious consequences" to giving an untruth in parliament, versus telling Ms Khan there was "no judgment" if she continued her "narrative".
- In relation to Mr Jumabhoy's argument that Ms Khan was not a greenhorn and did not need a directive to tell the truth in parliament.
- On how Ms Khan drafted a statement to Minister K Shanmugam maintaining her lie (that she never actually delivered) without Singh's involvement. This was after Mr Shanmugam pressed her in parliament on Oct 4, 2021, for more details on the police station visit.
- In relation to "bad advice" given by the WP leadership, allegedly to maintain her lie.
- Mr Jumabhoy on messages Ms Khan sent to her friends, then-WP cadres Ms Loh Pei Ying and Mr Yudhishthra Nathan.
- Mr Jumabhoy accuses Ms Khan of not confronting the WP disciplinary panel - comprising Singh, WP chair Sylvia Lim and vice-chair Faisal Manap - for their alleged advice to continue her anecdote.
- Ms Khan testifies that the WP disciplinary panel seemed to be gathering evidence to show that the leaders had not advised her to maintain the lie.
related:
Day 2: Pritam Singh’s trial over alleged lies to Parliament
The Workers’ Party chief faces two charges of lying to a parliamentary committee over former MP Raeesah Khan’s case.
Wrapping up today’s proceedings, here are the highlights:
- On day 2, former Workers’ Party MP Raeesah Khan was grilled by the defence on messages sent between her and two WP cadres over a meeting with party leaders.
- Ms Khan said she was surprised by the party leaders' decision in November 2021 to put her through a disciplinary hearing.
- Ms Khan also explained why she decided to tell the Committee of Privileges about WP leaders' knowledge of her untruth, reversing an earlier decision not to do so.
- Ms Khan is the first witness called to the stand and her testimony continues today. Former WP secretary-general Low Thia Khiang and two former cadre members will also testify in the trial.
Key moments from Raeesah Khan's testimony on Day 2 of Pritam Singh's trial
Ms Raeesah Khan, the former Workers' Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP), testified for a second day in the trial of WP secretary-general Pritam Singh on Tuesday (Oct 15).
Ms Khan, 30, is the first witness in Singh's trial over alleged false testimony he gave to a Committee of Privileges (COP) that was investigating a lie she told in parliament in August 2021. On her second day on the witness stand, Singh's lawyer Andre Jumabhoy opened his cross-examination of Ms Khan, seeking to cast her as a habitual liar.
Here are five key moments from her testimony:
- FELT "DEFEATED AND BETRAYED" BY PARTY LEADERS
- KHAN RESIGNED DUE TO LACK OF SUPPORT
- "I LIED TO THE WHOLE COUNTRY"
- "YOU SEEM TO BE ADDING NEW THINGS"
- ATTEMPT TO IMPEACH KHAN'S CREDIT
Day 1: Prosecution reveals case and witness list, Raeesah Khan on the stand
Key points from Day 1 of Pritam Singh's trial over alleged lies to a Committee of Privileges when testifying about his knowledge of Ms Raeesah Khan's case
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh went on trial on Monday (Oct 14) in a closely watched case, contesting two charges for essentially lying in Parliament when being questioned over former Workers' Party (WP) member Raeesah Khan's own lies.
Ms Khan had lied in Parliament twice in 2021 about accompanying a rape victim to a police station, where a police officer allegedly made comments about the woman's attire and consumption of alcohol. Here is all you need to know about what went down on the first day of the trial - an unprecedented prosecution for "wilfully" giving false answers to a Committee of Privileges (COP) under the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act.
Singh, a 48-year-old father of two, is accused of making the following two lies before the COP on Dec 10 and Dec 15, 2021:
- At the conclusion of his meeting with Ms Khan and WP members Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap on Aug 8, 2021, Singh wanted Ms Khan to clarify at some point in parliament that what she had said about accompanying a rape victim to a police station was untrue
- When Singh spoke to Ms Khan on Oct 3, 2021, he wanted to convey to Ms Khan that if the issue came up in parliament the next day, she had to clarify that her story about accompanying the rape victim was a lie.
related:
‘You tell lies non-stop’: Pritam Singh’s lawyer paints former WP MP Raeesah Khan as a habitual liar
At one charged moment in court, Singh’s lawyer, former prosecutor Andre Jumabhoy, confronted Khan with the question: “You are, in fact, a liar, correct? You tell lies non-stop, don’t you?”
Workers’ Party (WP) chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh’s defence lawyers sought to paint former WP MP Raeesah Khan as a habitual liar from the moment her cross-examination began on the second day of Singh’s trial.
At one charged moment in court, Singh’s lawyer, former prosecutor Andre Jumabhoy, confronted Khan with the question: “You are, in fact, a liar, correct? You tell lies non-stop, don’t you?”
“Yes, I lied,” Khan said in response to the first question. She also asked what Jumabhoy meant by “non-stop”.
Pritam Singh's trial opens as prosecution argues he guided Raeesah Khan to maintain lie in parliament
Pritam Singh arrives at the State Courts for his trial on Oct 14, 2024
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh's trial opened on Monday (Oct 14) with prosecutors setting out the details of their case against the Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general for the first time.
Singh, 48, is accused of lying while being examined before a Committee of Privileges (COP) that was investigating the conduct of former WP Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan. He faces two charges under the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act for wilfully making two false answers on Dec 10, 2021 and Dec 15, 2021, during the inquiry into Ms Khan's case. He is believed to be the first to be prosecuted under this Act.
During a parliamentary debate on Aug 3, 2021, Ms Khan made a speech in which she claimed that she had once accompanied a rape survivor to make a police report, and that the police officer had made comments about the woman's attire and consumption of alcohol. She later admitted in parliament on 1 Nov 2021 that this anecdote was a lie. The COP was convened to look into the matter.
‘I revered him’: 7 key points from former WP MP Raeesah Khan’s testimony in Pritam Singh trial
Former WP member Raeesah Khan arriving at the State Courts on Oct 14
Former Sengkang GRC MP Raeesah Khan is the first witness the prosecution called to testify on Oct 14, the first day of the trial of Workers’ Party (WP) chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh.
Singh is contesting two charges over his alleged lies to a parliamentary committee convened in November 2021 to look into the lying controversy involving Ms Khan. Ms Khan had, on Aug 3, 2021, told Parliament about how she had accompanied a sexual assault victim to a police station, where the victim was treated insensitively. She repeated the claim before the House on Oct 4 the same year before admitting to her lie on Nov 1, 2021.
Here are seven points that surfaced from Ms Khan’s testimony on the first day of the trial:
- Singh suggested that WP leaders and Ms Khan take her untruth ‘to the grave’
- ‘He wouldn’t judge me for continuing to lie’
- Party leaders were deeply involved in Ms Khan’s public statements
- Ms Khan ‘wanted to protect’ her leaders
- Ms Khan underestimated need to substantiate her Aug 3, 2021, speech
- ‘Politically speaking, it was a bad day in the office for us’
- Ms Khan had ‘revered’ Singh
WP chief Pritam Singh lied to downplay his responsibility in Raeesah Khan’s untruth, says prosecution
Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh arriving at the State Courts on Oct 14, 2024. He is fighting two charges of lying to a parliamentary committee
After he found out former Sengkang GRC MP Raeesah Khan had lied in Parliament, Workers’ Party (WP) chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh told a parliamentary committee investigating the matter that he had asked her to clarify the untruth to the House. In reality, Singh had, on two different occasions, told Ms Khan to maintain her lie, said the prosecution on Oct 14, the first day of Singh’s trial. This meant that in attempting to downplay his own responsibility in Ms Khan’s lying controversy, he had provided false testimony to the Committee of Privileges, it added.
Ms Khan admitted in Parliament on Nov 1, 2021, that she had misled Parliament on Aug 3 and Oct 4, 2021, when she claimed and then restated that she had accompanied a sexual assault victim to a police station, where the victim was treated insensitively. She had first disclosed her lie to Singh on Aug 7, 2021. The committee that investigated Ms Khan’s lie held hearings for seven days between Dec 2 and Dec 22, 2021, and its report was debated in Parliament on Feb 15, 2022, which was when the House resolved to refer Singh to the public prosecutor for a further probe.
Singh was charged on March 19, 2024. He is contesting two charges under the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act, which makes it an offence to lie in response to questions posed by Parliament or its committee. If convicted, he could be fined up to $7,000, jailed for up to three years, or both, on each charge.
related: Pritam Singh’s lawyer paints Raeesah Khan as habitual liar in bid to impeach witness’ credit
Singapore opposition leader Pritam Singh stands trial for alleged lies under oath
The trial marks the first time in Singapore’s history that an opposition leader has been prosecuted for lying to a parliamentary committee
The landmark trial of Singapore’s opposition leader, who stands accused of lying during a parliamentary committee inquiry, began on Monday.
Pritam Singh, 48, is at the centre of a controversy stemming from former MP Raeesah Khan’s misleading claims to parliament in August 2021 about accompanying a rape victim to a police station.
The Workers’ Party secretary general faces charges related to his testimony during hearings held in December 2021, when he is accused of providing false statements regarding his interactions with Khan, a former party member.