Former S'porean lawyer charged with insulting judge released on bail

June 5, 2008
Former S'porean lawyer charged with insulting judge released on bail
Nair, who declined comment to reporters, is due back in court for another hearing next Thursday. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW A FORMER Singaporean lawyer who has been charged with insulting a judge here was released on bail on Thursday and had his passport confiscated. A judge ordered Gopalan Nair, former Workers' Party election candidate who is now an American citizen, to be released on $5,000 bail after more than four days in custody. A prosecutor told the court there was no need for him to be detained while further investigations were carried out. Nair, 58, who declined comment to reporters, is due back in court for another hearing next Thursday. He was arrested here on Saturday and charged on Monday for insulting Justice Belinda Ang in an e-mail. He has been blogging on Singapore politics and his recent postings were about the defamation case brought against Chee Soon Juan of the Singapore Democratic Party and his sister Chee Siok Chin by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. The Chee siblings started their 12-day and 10-day jail sentences respectivley on Wednesday for contempt of court after they decided not to appeal. Nair announced his visit to Singapore and challenged the authorities to arrest him for what he had said. If convicted for insulting a public servant, he faces a fine of up to $5,000 or one year in prison. Nair's lawyer told reporters outside the court on Thursday that he expects a fresh charge to be laid against his client, without elaborating. -- AFP.