Singapore – The police said on Saturday (Jan 15) that the chairman of opposition Reform Party, Charles Yeo, was arrested on Jan 12 for alleged involvement in criminal breach of trust and forgery.
Mr Yeo claimed on his social media accounts that the investigations against him were “politically motivated,” spending 15 hours locked up on “trumped-up and false” charges.
Meanwhile, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said they “categorically reject” the claims.
“Neither are the allegations’ trumped up’ for political reasons,” said the police in a Straits Times report.
Mr Yeo said on Facebook on Jan 13 that ever since he contested the election, the “SPF has been constantly harassing” him “as the tool of the PAP (People’s Action Party) with all sorts of trumped-up accusations.”
He also noted that “those responsible for far worse” were given impunity as they were “PAP linked.”
“I spent 15 hours in the lockup today, handcuffed, and this should say all that needs to be said about the fascistic repression of critics,” he added.
He shared his experience through various social media posts and videos, accusing the police acted unprofessionally.
He also found it unusual that his phone and SIM card were seized as the “phone had nothing to do at all with these alleged offences which are entirely trumped up.”
“For the purpose of the investigations, Mr Charles Yeo’s mobile telephone and SIM card were seized for forensic examination. The seizure was done in accordance with powers given to the police under the Criminal Procedure Code,” said the police.
Mr Yeo said that he did not “take a cent of the personal injury monies nor did I forge any documents at all.”
“I am now under bail of S$35,000, an inexplicably high amount given that the sum allegedly misappropriated was also S$35,000, which I need to instruct a lawyer to vary downwards,” he added.
Mr Yeo appealed for donations to raise funds for his legal fees and “take out an application for wrongful arrest.”
On Sunday (Jan 16), Mr Yeo uploaded another post on Facebook, urging the public to watch his live Instagram video “to hear his side of the story and not the one-sided state media PAP propaganda.”
Mr Yeo drew attention online after clips of him struggling to deliver a speech for his party in Mandarin while campaigning went viral.
He was part of a Reform Party team that contested Ang Mo Kio GRC during the 2020 General Elections, garnering 28.09 per cent of votes and losing to a PAP slate led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Another unidentified individual was also arrested on Wednesday, following police reports filed against Whitefield Law Corporation, where Mr Yeo works as a criminal defence lawyer.
“The police had received at least four police reports involving four different clients of Whitefield Law Corporation, alleging forgery and/or criminal breach of trust,” said the police.
If found guilty of criminal breach of trust under Section 409 of the Penal Code, Mr Yeo can be imprisoned for up to 20 years and fined.
For the offence of forgery under Section 465 of the Penal Code, he could be sentenced to up to four years jail, fined or both./TISG
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