Singapore’s Pritam Singh to take the stand after court rules he has a case to answer

Singapore’s opposition leader Pritam Singh is set to take the stand in an ongoing criminal trial in which he is accused of lying to a parliamentary committee.

Singh, 48, is embroiled in a controversy stemming from former Workers’ Party MP Raeesah Khan’s lies to parliament in August and October 2021 about accompanying a rape victim to a police station.

He faces two charges for giving false evidence under oath during parliamentary committee hearings held in December that year.

Before a packed courtroom on Tuesday, Singh told the court that he elected to give evidence after Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan ruled that the prosecution had provided sufficient evidence, or a prima facie case, to proceed with the trial.

Singh will have to speak under oath in court and be cross-examined by the prosecution.

The trial, a first of its kind in the city state which began on October 14, has gripped Singapore with testimonies from prosecution witnesses Khan, Workers’ Party stalwart Low Thia Khiang and former party volunteers who each gave insight into the inner workings of the party.