Reading Time: 7 minutesIntroduction The story of Ms Parti Liyani is one of a harrowing journey through the criminal justice system, resulting in eventual victory, but at great cost. In March 2019, Ms Liyani stood trial for four theft-related charges and was found guilty of all four charges. On appeal, it was found that the Prosecution had led […]
Levelling the Playing Field between the Prosecution and the Defence: Steps in the Right Direction
Reading Time: 8 minutesDeveloped by Herbert Packer, the Crime Control Model and Due Process Model espouse different ideologies in criminal justice. The former prioritises efficient crime suppression in the interests of public order, while the latter emphasises the primacy of individual rights in relation to the state. While Singapore’s criminal justice regime incorporates characteristics of both, historically, experts […]
SMU Lexicon: Busting Myths: Understanding Prosecutorial Discretion
Reading Time: 12 minutesIntroduction The December 2017 decision to charge a couple who tortured their flatmate, Annie Ee, with the offence of “voluntarily causing grievous hurt”, as opposed to murder, sparked controversy in Singapore.[1] In response, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (“AGC”) released a media statement explaining its decision,[2] and Attorney-General (“AG”) Lucien Wong referred to the matter in his […]