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https://www.todayonline.com/news/pr...igh-court-iswaran-prosecution-opposes-2480241
SINGAPORE — Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh on Monday (Aug 26) applied to the High Court to have his case heard there instead of the State Courts where it is due to be held in October.
Lawyers for Singh, 48, the Workers' Party chief said there was "a strong public interest" in the case, in which Singh is accused of lying to a Committee of Privileges (COP) in Parliament over the saga of ex-Member of Parliament (MP) Raeesah Khan.
The lawyers pointed to the recent transfer to the High Court of a corruption case against ex-transport minister S Iswaran to support their argument for Singh's case to be also moved across.
At the application on Monday, Singh was represented by Mr Andre Darius Jumabhoy and Mr Aristotle Emmanuel Eng, from the former's eponymous law firm.
After a hearing that ran for about two hours and 20 minutes, High Court Judge Hoo Sheau Peng reserved her judgement until Sept 9.
On Feb 8 this year, the prosecution in Iswaran’s case applied for the case to be transferred to the High Court due to the strong public interest in the matter.
Iswaran’s defence said that it did not disagree with the request, but in turn asked if the prosecution would be agreeable to an "early" trial. Under the agreement of the prosecution and the defence, they agreed to transfer his case to the High Court.
The trial for Iswaran is set to begin on Sept 10.
In supporting a similar transfer, Mr Jumabhoy argued that Singh’s case is “even more impactful” than Iswaran’s case and Singh’s case would “benefit from the stature of a High Court Judge”.
He added that having his case tried at High Court would enable any appeal to be brought directly to the Court of Appeal.
Deputy Attorney-General Ang Cheng Hock, leading a team of lawyers representing the prosecution, opposed the application by arguing that the defence is comparing two unrelated cases and calling Iswaran’s case “entirely irrelevant” to Singh’s.
Mr Ang also said that he found the implication that Singh should be “less likely” to get justice at the State Courts to be troubling.
Singh faces two charges of giving false answers to the COP on Dec 10, 2021, and Dec 15, 2021, and pleaded not guilty to them on March 19.
The charges came more than two years after the COP found that Singh had been untruthful under oath during its hearings into former WP member Raeesah Khan over lies she told in the House in 2021.
Singh, who is an MP for Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), appeared in court in person and appeared to be taking notes during the proceedings.
Mr Jumabhoy argued since Singh’s and Iswaran’s cases are of “public interest” and they were charged when they were both politicians they should be afforded the same treatment.
Mr Ang also said that he found the implication that Singh should be “less likely” to get justice at the State Courts to be troubling.
Singh faces two charges of giving false answers to the COP on Dec 10, 2021, and Dec 15, 2021, and pleaded not guilty to them on March 19.
The charges came more than two years after the COP found that Singh had been untruthful under oath during its hearings into former WP member Raeesah Khan over lies she told in the House in 2021.
Singh, who is an MP for Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), appeared in court in person and appeared to be taking notes during the proceedings.
But all judges are PAP paid.
Pritam Singh asks for trial to be moved to High Court like Iswaran's case; prosecution opposes move
SINGAPORE — Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh on Monday (Aug 26) applied to the High Court to have his case heard there instead of the State Courts where it is due to be held in October.
Lawyers for Singh, 48, the Workers' Party chief said there was "a strong public interest" in the case, in which Singh is accused of lying to a Committee of Privileges (COP) in Parliament over the saga of ex-Member of Parliament (MP) Raeesah Khan.
The lawyers pointed to the recent transfer to the High Court of a corruption case against ex-transport minister S Iswaran to support their argument for Singh's case to be also moved across.
At the application on Monday, Singh was represented by Mr Andre Darius Jumabhoy and Mr Aristotle Emmanuel Eng, from the former's eponymous law firm.
After a hearing that ran for about two hours and 20 minutes, High Court Judge Hoo Sheau Peng reserved her judgement until Sept 9.
ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST TRANSFER
Iswaran faces 35 charges mostly related to alleged bribery and corruption involving property tycoon Ong Beng Seng and construction company boss Lum Kok Seng.On Feb 8 this year, the prosecution in Iswaran’s case applied for the case to be transferred to the High Court due to the strong public interest in the matter.
Iswaran’s defence said that it did not disagree with the request, but in turn asked if the prosecution would be agreeable to an "early" trial. Under the agreement of the prosecution and the defence, they agreed to transfer his case to the High Court.
The trial for Iswaran is set to begin on Sept 10.
In supporting a similar transfer, Mr Jumabhoy argued that Singh’s case is “even more impactful” than Iswaran’s case and Singh’s case would “benefit from the stature of a High Court Judge”.
He added that having his case tried at High Court would enable any appeal to be brought directly to the Court of Appeal.
Deputy Attorney-General Ang Cheng Hock, leading a team of lawyers representing the prosecution, opposed the application by arguing that the defence is comparing two unrelated cases and calling Iswaran’s case “entirely irrelevant” to Singh’s.
Mr Ang also said that he found the implication that Singh should be “less likely” to get justice at the State Courts to be troubling.
Singh faces two charges of giving false answers to the COP on Dec 10, 2021, and Dec 15, 2021, and pleaded not guilty to them on March 19.
The charges came more than two years after the COP found that Singh had been untruthful under oath during its hearings into former WP member Raeesah Khan over lies she told in the House in 2021.
Singh, who is an MP for Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), appeared in court in person and appeared to be taking notes during the proceedings.
PUBLIC INTEREST AND THE 'SPECTRE OF THE COP'
Mr Jumabhoy argued since Singh’s and Iswaran’s cases are of “public interest” and they were charged when they were both politicians they should be afforded the same treatment.
Mr Ang also said that he found the implication that Singh should be “less likely” to get justice at the State Courts to be troubling.
Singh faces two charges of giving false answers to the COP on Dec 10, 2021, and Dec 15, 2021, and pleaded not guilty to them on March 19.
The charges came more than two years after the COP found that Singh had been untruthful under oath during its hearings into former WP member Raeesah Khan over lies she told in the House in 2021.
Singh, who is an MP for Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), appeared in court in person and appeared to be taking notes during the proceedings.
PUBLIC INTEREST AND THE 'SPECTRE OF THE COP'
Mr Jumabhoy argued since Singh’s and Iswaran’s cases are of “public interest” and they were charged when they were both politicians they should be afforded the same treatment.But all judges are PAP paid.
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