Lee Hsien Yang, brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, took to social media on Friday (Oct 2) sharing a video of opposition politician Lim Tean’s arrest.
In a Facebook video, three plainclothes police officers from the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) were seen at Mr Lim’s office at People’s Park Centre.
Mr Lim was filmed talking to the officers, where he said, “My lawyer has already written to you, to your office, stating our stance”.
He continued adding that he was “busily engaged”. In the background of the video, Mr Leong Sze Hian could be seen.
Mr Lim who heads the Peoples Voice Party, is representing Leong Sze Hian in his defence against defamation suit filed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The suit is to be heard in open court next week.
https://www.facebook.com/LeeHsienYangSGP/posts/2747377355502356
“We are on the eve of a trial, you are disturbing our work”. He asked the officer why his arrest could not take place after the trial.
The officer said that Mr Lim could make any allegations or complaints against them later, “but right now, we are bringing you back”.
Mr Lim was arrested for suspected criminal breach of trust under the Penal Code.
He is also being investigated for an alleged offence of unlawful stalking under the Protection from Harassment Act.
In a Facebook statement on Friday (Oct 2), Mr Lim’s lawyer M Ravi wrote: “3 police officers from the Commercial Affairs Department just barged into the office and arrested Lim Tean whilst he is preparing his case with Leong Sze Hian in his room for next Tuesday’s defamation trial to cross examine the Prime Minister”.
Calling Mr Lim’s arrest “unlawful”, Mr Ravi added: “Lim Tean protested when they placed the handcuff on him that his arrest is politically motivated”.
According to a Straits Times report, the police said that the arrest was not politically motivated, as alleged by Mr Lim through his lawyer earlier.
“The police reject his allegations that the investigations are politically motivated,” they said in a statement on Friday. “Mr Lim Tean’s alleged victims had filed police reports alleging serious offences by him against them, and the police have a duty to investigate the allegations.”
Mr Lim’s former client’s lawyers lodged a police report for criminal breach of trust. The client, whom Mr Lim was representing in a motor injury suit, alleged that Mr Lim misappropriated a sum of money awarded to him as damages by the court.
Mr Lim is also under investigation for an unlawful stalking complaint by a former employee. The employee alleged that she was harassed by him when she was working at his law firm, referring police to text messages that had been exchanged between her and Mr Lim. -/TISG