No bailor yet for teen in online rant

No bailor yet for teen in online rant

No one turned up at the State Courts yesterday to bail out Amos Yee, the 16-year-old whose online rants against Christianity have landed him in trouble with the law.

He has been in remand since last Friday, when he appeared in court.

During the pre-trial conference that day, District Judge Kessler Soh converted the $20,000 police bail that Yee had been on to court bail, requiring bail to be reposted. But his parents decided against posting bail, which meant the teenager had to be put in remand.

Yee was charged on March 31 with attacking Christianity, transmitting an obscene image and making an online video containing remarks about founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew that offended viewers.

He agreed as a condition of his bail not to post anything online until his case was decided. But last Tuesday, he asked for donations to fund legal fees on his blog and Facebook page. The blog post included links to the offensive videos and posts that led to him being charged in the first place.

On Saturday, a spokesman for the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) made it clear after queries by The Straits Times that the only reason the teenager remained in remand over the weekend was that no one had come forward to post bail.

The last registration for bail on Saturdays is at 12pm and the bail office is closed on Sundays.

The spokesman added that potential bailors did not have to deposit the $20,000 with the court, but simply pledge that they are good for the money. They also need to show they can ensure Yee sticks to the bail conditions and shows up in court when required.

The last registration for bail on weekdays is at 5.30pm.

Yee's next pre-trial conference is on May 13. A bail review will be held today.

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amirh@sph.com.sg


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