SINGAPORE: A lawyer continues to be given a conditional warning for posting transcripts from the case of a doctor acquitted of molestation , in breach of a gag order protecting the particular complainant’s identity.
At the same time, 32-year-old Johannes Hadi received a discharge not really amounting to an acquittal for two counts beneath the State Courts Act of breaching the gag order .
Mr Hadi was a junior attorney under lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam defending Dr Yeo Sow Nam. Dr Yeo had been acquitted of all counts of molesting a lady after a trial.
According to Mr Hadi’s charges, he published transcripts of the court proceedings containing unredacted information likely to lead to the identification from the woman by distributing the transcripts towards the press on Mar 16 last year.
A second charge states that he distributed transcripts containing unredacted information likely to identify the particular complainant to the push again on August 11, 2021.
In response to CNA’s queries, a spokesperson for the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said the criminal prosecution applied for Mr Hadi’s charges to be provided a discharge not amounting to an acquittal “after careful consideration from the facts and conditions of the case”.
A conditional warning was issued to Mr Hadi, and he may be prosecuted on the same charges should this individual reoffend, said the AGC spokesperson.
She said that the prosecution took into account the fact that Mr Hadi was a junior attorney who had acted under the instructions and supervision of Mr Thuraisingam, who was guide counsel in the case intended for Dr Yeo Your seeds Nam.
“Given Mr Hadi’s function in the incident, the conditional warning instead of prosecution was issued to him, inch said the AGC spokesperson.
Mr Thuraisingam pleaded guilty to breaching a gag order in relation to the same incident and was fined S$4, 000 within August.
The particular penalty for breaking a gag order is up to a year within jail, a fine of up to S$5, 000 or even both.