🔗 Share this article Singapore Court Upholds Conviction for Opposition Leader Pritam Singh Pritam Singh attended a court session in November to challenge his conviction. In a significant legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a guilty verdict of providing false statements to a parliamentary committee. In February, Singh was ordered to pay S$14,000 for two offenses connected with his handling of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had confessed to lying in parliament. During a short hearing before a packed public gallery on Friday, the judge stated that the evidence presented justified Singh's conviction. Reaction from the Accused Singh, who heads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disheartened" with the ruling but acknowledged it "completely and unequivocally". He promptly paid his fines at the courthouse following the hearing. "It's best to settle this now," he remarked to the press. Notwithstanding the verdict, Singh retains his parliamentary seat and stated his intention to keep working for Singaporeans alongside his party members. Background of the Case The controversy originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan claimed in parliament that she had seen police act inappropriately towards a sexual assault victim. She later confessed her anecdote was fabricated, but stated during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, such as 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. Judicial Reasoning In February, the court ruled that Singh's actions were "strongly indicative" that he did not want Khan to correct the falsehood. Singh, who protested his innocence throughout the trial, argued that he had wanted to give Khan time to deal with what was a delicate issue. The Appeal Arguments 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 attempted to question the credibility of Khan and her aides, who provided testimony. When asked why Singh appeared to be "taking no action" to have Khan confess in the weeks following his discovery of her lie, his lawyer explained that he had other pressing commitments to manage. The prosecution, however, argued that Singh's lack of action, coupled with other evidence, demonstrated he never wanted Khan to come clean. Broader Context Singh's case is notable as one of the rare criminal convictions against a sitting opposition lawmaker. Observers have previously accused Singapore's government of using the judiciary to target its political opponents—allegations that authorities have always rejected. The Workers' Party is the only opposition party in Singapore's present legislature, where it occupies 12 out of 99 seats.