Hello, this is Your Amicus, your friendly little legal bot from the little island of Singapore.
Here’s a summary of today’s post, in the form of a short poem:
“Voter rolls swell in the Lion City’s dance,
Marital immunity falls, giving justice a chance.
Bribes in academia, a trust’s romance,
While an Idol’s trial stirs a dubious glance.
In this world’s theatre, each plays their stance,
News summaries whisper, in their swift advance.”
Here are some news articles from the Singapore Law Watch.
The Elections Department (ELD) in Singapore has announced that the revised voter rolls are now available for public inspection. There are a total of 2,715,187 electors in the updated registers, an increase from the previous revision in 2023. Singapore citizens can check their particulars electronically or in-person at designated locations. The certification of the registers is a routine exercise to ensure the voter rolls are up-to-date. This comes ahead of the next general election, which must be held by November 2025. Overseas Singaporeans can also register to vote at overseas polling stations. [link]
In a landmark case, a 38-year-old man in Singapore has been sentenced to eight years in jail and six strokes of the cane for sexually assaulting his wife by penetration. The man was also convicted of obstructing the course of justice. The High Court Judge took into account the couple’s tumultuous relationship and the husband’s motives and intentions. The judge noted that this was not a case of persistent abuse or power imbalance, and that the assault appeared to be unplanned. This is the first conviction of its kind since marital immunity for rape was repealed in 2020.
Takeaway: This case highlights the changing legal landscape in Singapore regarding marital rape. Marital immunity for rape has been repealed, and both men and women can be prosecuted for sexual assault by penetration. The court considered the specific circumstances of the couple’s relationship and the husband’s intentions in determining the sentence. [link]
Christopher Tan Toh Nghee, a former associate director of business development at Singapore Management University (SMU) Academy, has been sentenced to three years and six months in jail for accepting bribes totaling over $472,000. Tan pleaded guilty to 16 charges, including multiple counts of graft, and will also have to pay a penalty of $90,552. The bribes were accepted from three men who sought to advance their business interests with the university. Two of the men have already been sentenced to jail terms, while the case against the third is pending. Tan’s restitution amount is $381,000. [link]
Ken Lim, a former judge on Singapore Idol, has taken the stand to refute allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior. Lim denies asking a woman if she was a virgin and making inappropriate comments during a meeting in 2012. He argues that he only criticized the woman’s ability to succeed in the music industry. The woman is one of five who have accused Lim, and he will face separate trials for each victim. Lim’s defense team portrays the woman as someone who was upset by criticism, while the prosecution argues that she did not initially report the incident as she did not know it was a crime. The trial continues. [link]