Lee Hsien Yang puts up $20k deposit for activist's appeal
Mr Lee Hsien Yang, the brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has put up $20,000 as a security deposit for activist Jolovan Wham to appeal against his contempt of court conviction.
In a Twitter post yesterday morning, Wham wrote that Mr Lee Hsien Yang reached out to him and offered to put up the deposit for costs on his behalf. "I'm grateful to him for his generosity," he said.
In April, Wham and opposition politician John Tan were each fined $5,000 by the High Court for scandalising the judiciary in separate posts on Facebook.
Wham was also ordered to pay $7,298 in legal costs and disbursements to the Attorney-General's Chambers, while Tan was ordered to pay $6,966.
Wham made a Facebook post on April 27 last year stating Singapore's courts are not as independent as Malaysia's in cases with political implications.
His post included a link to an online article, "Malaysiakini mounts constitutional challenge against Anti-Fake News Act". The Attorney-General then initiated contempt of court action against him.
Lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam, who is representing Wham for free, said the money was sent to his firm's client account on May 16.
"I was told it was for Jolovan's security for costs of the appeal," said Mr Thuraisingam.
Wham said his lawyers had told him about the deposit, and that Mr Lee Hsien Yang did not give any reasons.
But the depositing of the money "did not come as a surprise to me", h e added.
Those who appeal against a High Court decision are required to put up a deposit, which they may not be able to recover if they lose.
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