Entertainment lawyer Samuel Seow was slapped with four charges, including for voluntarily causing hurt and using criminal force, in court today (7 June) over an incident of alleged staff abuse.
In April this year, two leaked videos showing him hitting and pushing employees at his office last year went viral online. In the first video, Seow can be seen hitting a young female staff as she is speaking to him. In the second video, the girl can be seen fighting back before an incensed Seow rains blows on her and pushes her to the ground.
Several staff members try to restrain Seow. When one female staff member confronts him over his actions, an irate Seow gets close to her and argues with her before pushing her to the ground.
The 46-year-old lawyer also allegedly used criminal force against a third woman on the same day the office incident occurred. Besides allegedly poking the third woman’s forehead with his finger, Seow is accused of threatening the woman by saying that he would “take a knife and kill you,” weeks prior.
In a press conference last May, Seow revealed that the younger female employee is his niece. Apologising for slapping his niece during the scuffle, Seow clarified that the dispute was a family matter and that he acted as an uncle and not as his niece’s employer.
Seow, who is the managing director of Samuel Seow Law Corporation and the owner of the Beam Artistes management firm, said: “I shouldn’t have done that to be honest, and I apologise to my family for that. If you put a recording device in any family on a bad day, I don’t think all of us would be proud of every single moment.”
In a Facebook post he had published before the press conference, Seow had written: “People can say what they want without any care for the truth. There are some very irresponsible and despicable people out there who will take some perverse delight in causing this.”
“I am sorry to my family and friends for the worry this will cause. I am ok. Those who know me will know the truth.”
After videos of the assault were leaked this year, Seow made a police report and blasted those whom he feels “constantly and conscientiously” seek to damage him. Asserting that he wants to find closure so he can move on with his life, Mr Seow wrote:
“I hope to find closure with this issue soon, so I can move on with my life after my mistake from a year ago, so that the people who are constantly and conscientiously seeking to damage me can finally also, rest peacefully.
“I am unsure what the people who continually post edited sound clips and videos are trying to achieve. I had admitted that there was an issue in my office last year, and will leave the police to reach their findings.
“Being an entrepreneur is never easy and juggling between finding the work, feeding people and paying salaries on time is a constant struggle.”
Court reporters noted that Seow seemed downcast in court today. He is set to return to court next month.
If Seow is convicted of voluntarily causing hurt, he could face a maximum penalty of two years in prison and/or a fine of S$5,000. If he is found guilty of using criminal force, he could be jailed for up to three months and/or face a $1,500 fine.
-/TISG