PG (Plead Guilty) Mention, State Court of Singapore, August 2015
Raphael Louis (Ray), Defence lawyer or attorney for the accused, successfully argued and persuaded the court to impose a fine only. After the accused pleaded guilty and during mitigation, Ray argued that his client should only be fined as the circumstances surrounding the offence did not warrant a jail sentence unlike previous cases before the State Court of Singapore; in other words, the punishment must fit the crime and the criminal.
The prosecuted had earlier submitted for a custodial sentence; in all previous prosecutions and sentencing under the same offence, the accused persons were jailed. Offenders faced a maximum jail sentence of 5 years. After the plea was taken and before passing the sentence, the court had to adjourn the case 4 times to hear further submissions and clarifications from both the Prosecution and Defence. At the end, the Learned Judge was persuaded with the Defence’s submission and imposed a fine only. For more information please refer to IRAS , Channel News Asia and The Straits Times
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