Hong Lim fracas: Case against 6 adjourned
PUBLISHED ONNovember 26, 2014 10:00 PMByWalter Sim
An initial closed-door hearing on the case of six people accused of being a public nuisance, at a charity event in Hong Lim Park on Sept 27, has been adjourned for three weeks.
The pre-trial conference, held briefly at the State Courts yesterday, will resume on Dec 15.
The hearing is typically held behind closed doors for the prosecutor and defence lawyer to agree on the facts of the case.
Activist Han Hui Hui and blogger Roy Ngerng Yi Ling are among the six accused. Yesterday, lawyer M. Ravi, who is representing all six, told reporters that none of them had indicated to him that they would plead guilty.
Each of the six was charged last month with being a public nuisance, which carries a fine of up to $1,000. Han, 23, and Ngerng, 33, also face a charge of organising a demonstration without approval, an offence that carries a maximum fine of $5,000.
Mr Ravi, when asked, declined to give an update on the case or the appeal Han made to Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan over a National Parks Board decision that disallows her from organising events at Hong Lim Park while the case is ongoing.
The other four accused are Janet Low Wai Choo, 54; Chua Siew Leng, 42; Goh Aik Huat, 41; and Ivan Koh Yew Beng, 59.
The six had allegedly disrupted the YMCA Proms @ The Park charity event for special needs children, held in Hong Lim Park at the same time as the Return Our CPF rally co-organised by Han and Ngerng.
All except Chua were in court yesterday. Han reprised what she wore when she was charged in court last month: an all-white outfit paired with white spectacles, a white hairband and white shoes.
waltsim@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on Nov 25, 2014.
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