Judge rejects defence’s application to get full list of Yudhishthra Nathan’s redacted and unredacted messages to COP
Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan rejects the defence’s application to get the full set of Mr Yudhishthra Nathan’s unredacted messages from Oct 4 to 12, 2021, and his redacted messages which were submitted to the Committee of Privileges (COP).
The judge says he has carefully examined the documents, and is satisfied that none of the messages are relevant to the guilt or innocence of Pritam Singh.
He adds that the messages do not undermine the prosecution’s case or strengthen the defence’s case in the context of the criminal trial.
As the redactions were done for the purpose of the specific inquiry by the COP, the scope and basis of the redactions are not relevant to the current criminal trial, he says.
The judge also notes that a list of unredacted messages by Mr Nathan, as well as the full list of redacted and unredacted messages by Ms Loh Pei Ying have already been admitted as evidence for the trial.
While there is “no doubt” the credibility of Mr Nathan is an issue, as with the credibility of all witnesses, the messages already submitted as evidence can and already have been used to test the accuracy of the evidence given by the witnesses, including Mr Nathan.