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In a major legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has failed in his challenge against a guilty verdict of lying to a legislative panel.

Earlier this year, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two offenses connected with his management of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had admitted to giving false testimony in parliament.

During a short hearing before a full public gallery on Friday, the presiding judge stated that the evidence presented upheld Singh's conviction.

Reaction from the Accused

Singh, who leads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disappointed" with the ruling but accepted it "completely and unequivocally".

He promptly paid his fines at the court complex after the hearing. "Might as well get it done," he commented to reporters.

Despite the conviction, Singh retains his seat in parliament and affirmed his commitment to keep working for Singaporeans together with his party members.

The Underlying Saga

The entire episode originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had seen police misbehave towards a sexual assault victim.

She later admitted her account was fabricated, but testified during a official inquiry that party leaders, including Singh, had advised her to "stick to the story" even though they were aware it was a lie.

Khan has since stepped down from both the party and parliament. She was penalized S$35,000 for lying and abusing her parliamentary privilege.

Judicial Reasoning

In February, the court determined that Singh's actions were "highly suggestive" that he did not want Khan to clarify her lie.

Singh, who protested his innocence during the entire proceedings, countered that he had wanted to give Khan time to handle what was a delicate issue.

Points Contested

During the November court session, Singh's legal counsel contended that the initial court had "overlooked key proof" in its original ruling.

The defense also sought to cast doubt on the credibility of Khan and her assistants, who served as witnesses.

When asked why Singh appeared to be "doing nothing" to have Khan own up in the weeks after learning of her lie, his lawyer stated that he had other urgent professional and personal matters to manage.

The prosecution, however, maintained that Singh's lack of action, coupled with other evidence, demonstrated he never intended for Khan to come clean.

Broader Context

Singh's case is significant as one of the very few criminal convictions against a sitting opposition lawmaker.

Critics have previously accused Singapore's government of leveraging the courts to pursue its political opponents—charges that the government have always rejected.

The Workers' Party is the sole rival group in Singapore's present legislature, where it occupies 12 out of 99 seats.