Professional disciplinary hearing set for PAP MP Christopher de Souza

SINGAPORE: People’s Action Party MP Christopher de Souza, found guilty of professional misconduct by a disciplinary tribunal in December 2022, is set to face a professional disciplinary hearing on July 31.

Mr de Souza has been serving as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore since 2020. The charge against the Holland–Bukit Timah MP, a lawyer by profession, was related to dealings with his clients, Amber Compounding Pharmacy and Amber Laboratories.

The disciplinary tribunal determined that Mr de Souza had failed to make “a full and frank disclosure to the court when he was aware that his client had breached the conditions of a search order,” reported The Straits Times.

Four of the five charges brought against him have been dismissed.

The PAP said that Mr de Souza denies any wrongdoing and would argue his case on the remaining charge on appeal before the Court of Three Judges.

“We will await the verdict of the Court of Three Judges, and determine the course of action necessary after the verdict,” CNA quotes the PAP as saying.

He will face the Court of Three Judges, the highest disciplinary body for lawyers, on Jul 31. It is within the Court’s purview to disbar, suspend or fine a lawyer guilty of professional misconduct or to clear a lawyer of these charges.

The Court will comprise Justices Belinda Ang, Woo Bih Li and Kannan Ramesh.

The charges had been brought against Mr de Souza by the Law Society of Singapore, which will be represented at the tribunal by Mr Madan Assomull. Senior Counsel Tan Chee Meng and Mr Calvin Ong will represent the MP.

A complaint had been filed against Mr de Souza to the Law Society on Sept 9, 2020. /TISG

OPINION | Contrast Christopher de Souza with Pritam Singh, and dancing on MRT divides Singaporeans