This is an odd way to start the second half of 2015.
“Hello everyone, I will be busy with my defamation suit for the next 3 days,” wrote Roy Ngerng, Singaporean activist and Amos Yee supporter, on his blog yesterday.
“I will be at the hearing with the Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, to decide how much I have to pay him,” he explained.
PM Lee filed a lawsuit against Ngerng in May 2014 for a post entitled “Where Your CPF Money Is Going: Learning From The City Harvest Trial”. He was found guilty on Nov 7 and ordered to pay $29,000 in legal costs which he was able to settle after missing a number of deadlines.
The hearing at the Supreme Court, from today until Jul 3, is to determine how much he has to pay in damages.
It is an open trial, attended by both Ngerng and PM Lee.
On day one of the three-day trial, Ngerng started with an apology addressed to the Prime Minister.
“I am sorry. I had no intent to defame you. I’m so sincere, I’ve apologised to you so many times that I’ve lost count,” the blogger is quoted on Channel NewsAsia.
PM Lee replied that the apology was not sincere. His lawyers are asking the court for damages of more than $400,000.
“Mr Lee’s lawyers noted that previous awards in defamation cases involving top government ministers ranged from $100,000 to $400,000, and argued that a higher quantum should be awarded in this case given, among others, the extensive republication of the libel, Mr Ngerng’s egregious conduct, and his malice and continuing attacks against Mr Lee,” reports The Straits Times.
This is a developing story and Coconuts Singapore will be posting updates, come back for more!
Photo: The Heart Truths
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