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In a significant legal ruling, Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a guilty verdict of lying to a legislative panel.

In February, Singh was fined S$14,000 for two offenses related to his management of former lawmaker Raeesah Khan, who had confessed to lying in parliament.

During a brief hearing before a packed public gallery on Friday, the judge ruled that the evidence presented supported Singh's conviction.

Reaction from the Accused

Singh, who heads the main opposition Workers' Party, expressed that he was "disheartened" with the decision 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 the press.

Despite the conviction, Singh keeps his parliamentary seat and affirmed his commitment to keep working for Singaporeans alongside his party members.

Background of the Case

The controversy originated in 2021 when Raeesah Khan asserted in parliament that she had seen police act inappropriately towards a sexual assault victim.

She later confessed her account was untrue, but stated during a parliamentary committee investigation that party leaders, including Singh, had instructed her to "continue with the narrative" despite knowing it was a lie.

Khan has since resigned from both the party and parliament. She was penalized S$35,000 for perjury and misusing her legislative immunity.

Court's Rationale

In February, the court ruled that Singh's actions were "strongly indicative" that he did not want Khan to clarify her lie.

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

Points Contested

During the November court session, Singh's lawyer contended that the lower court had "ignored crucial pieces of evidence" in its initial judgment.

The defense also attempted to question the credibility of Khan and her aides, who served as witnesses.

When questioned why Singh appeared to be "taking no action" to have Khan confess in the weeks after learning of her lie, his lawyer explained that he had other pressing commitments to manage.

The state's attorneys, however, argued that Singh's inaction, coupled with other evidence, proved 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.

Critics have in the past alleged Singapore's government of using the judiciary to pursue its rivals—charges that authorities have always rejected.

The Workers' Party is the only opposition party in Singapore's current parliament, where it holds 12 out of 99 seats.