SINGAPORE – The ongoing trial of Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh saw significant developments on October 23, as the court denied a request for the release of unredacted message logs from key witness Yudhishthra Nathan. Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan dismissed the application, stating that the messages did not fulfill legal disclosure requirements.

Singh’s attorney, Andre Jumabhoy, argued for access to both redacted and unredacted messages, asserting their relevance to the credibility of Mr. Nathan and another WP member, Loh Pei Ying, who both previously assisted former Sengkang WP MP Raeesah Khan. However, Judge Tan clarified that upon reviewing the documents, the unredacted messages were not pertinent to establishing Singh's guilt or innocence. He noted that the redactions were tailored specifically for the Committee of Privileges (COP) inquiry and were not applicable to Singh's criminal trial.

Notably, Judge Tan affirmed that unredacted messages from Nathan and a complete list of messages from Loh Pei Ying had already been admitted into evidence, allowing the court to assess the credibility of witnesses effectively.

Pritam Singh is currently facing two charges for allegedly lying to the COP, which was convened in November 2021 to investigate false statements made by Ms. Khan in Parliament. On August 3, 2021, Khan made unverified claims about aiding a victim of sexual assault, which she later retracted, admitting to her deception on November 1, 2021.

Former WP secretary-general Low Thia Khiang took the stand later that day after the defense completed its cross-examination of Mr. Nathan. Here are the crucial revelations from Nathan's testimony:

1. Failure to Inform COP of Critical Strategy Changes

Nathan was questioned about why he and Loh failed to inform the COP of critical discussions involving Singh. Nathan testified that during an October 12, 2021, meeting, Singh had indicated a change in the party's approach regarding Khan's misleading statements. Singh had allegedly expressed that it would be “bad karma” to maintain the lie since the government was likely aware of the untruth.

Defense counsel questioned Nathan's omission of this significant information from his testimony before the COP, noting that it was explicitly discussed during the trial. Nathan cited the lengthy nature of the meeting and stated it simply did not come to mind during his testimony.

2. Conversations About COP Hearings

During cross-examination, Nathan confirmed he met Loh between COP and police investigation periods to discuss developments related to the case though he struggled to recall specifics about the earlier meeting with Singh. When asked if they were collaborating on preparing their statements for the police, Nathan contended that their conversations were not about that.

3. Emotional Discussions Before COP Hearings

The court also learned about meetings between Nathan, Loh, and Khan leading up to the COP hearings, where Khan expressed apprehension about lying under questioning. Nathan recounted a significant moment during a dinner meeting where Loh conveyed her intention to be truthful if called before the COP, urging Singh to clear the air publicly about the situation.

In a gripping twist, Nathan shared a text from a group chat on December 22, 2021, revealing Loh's concerns about not disclosing past meetings before the COP to Singh, indicating a palpable tension and apprehension within the WP ranks regarding the pending inquiries.

The trial continues to unfold with mounting scrutiny on the WP and its leadership during a challenging period. As the investigation progresses, these revelations shine a light on the complexities of political accountability and the implications of integrity in public service. Can Pritam Singh navigate these treacherous waters, or will the truth unravel further? Stay tuned for more updates!