Lawyer Lim Tean returns to court to face fresh charges over alleged abscondment

SINGAPORE: Lawyer and opposition politician Lim Tean was handed new charges on Friday (Oct 9) in his first criminal court appearance since his alleged abscondment to Malaysia.  

Lim, 61, appeared via videolink to receive the charges. CNA is checking on the details of the new charges. 

Lim is represented by lawyer Revi Shanker.

Lim was convicted in July 2024 of practising as a lawyer without a valid practising certificate. He had attended court hearings on behalf of clients and prepared documents related to proceedings during the period when he did not have a valid practising certificate.

A district court sentenced him in February 2025 to six weeks' jail and a S$1,000 (US$780) fine.

In February 2026, the High Court dismissed Lim's appeal against his conviction and sentence and allowed the prosecution's cross-appeal, increasing his jail term to three months and one week.

Following an appeal by the prosecution, the High Court increased his sentence to three months and one week's jail in February, while dismissing Lim's appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Lim, the founder of Peoples Voice and secretary-general of the People's Alliance for Reform, was due to surrender at the State Courts on Aug 3 to begin serving his jail term, but failed to do so and left Singapore while on court bail.

A warrant of arrest was issued against him that day.

Lim was arrested in Johor Bahru by the Royal Malaysia Police on Aug 6 and handed over to the Singapore Police Force on Aug 11.

As a result of the alleged abscondment, Lim's bailor, socio-political blogger Leong Sze Hian, was ordered to forfeit S$45,000 that he had furnished as bail.

Lim has since begun serving his jail term.

Lim was declared bankrupt in April. He was also fined S$30,000 over his conduct in handling a former client’s money in a disciplinary matter.

Apart from the current charges, he faces several outstanding criminal charges.

Two men have also been charged over alleged arrangements for Lim to leave Singapore illegally.

Sulaiman Muhammad Firdaus, 38, and Mohammad Adam Abd Karim, 45, each face one count of conspiring to commit an act that has a tendency to defeat the course of justice, knowing that the act is likely to defeat the course of justice.

Their cases are also pending before the courts and both are due to return to court on Friday.