Former lawyer charged for misappropriating nearly S$480,000
File photo of a gavel. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
SINGAPORE: A former lawyer was charged in court on Thursday (Apr 14) for misappropriating nearly S$480,000 that was entrusted to him, the police said in a news release.
Gurdaib Singh Pala Singh, 69, was also charged for preparing a court document for another person as an advocate and solicitor while he was struck off the roll of advocates and solicitors of the Supreme Court.
Gurdaib Singh was a lawyer practising with the firm Gurdaib Cheong & Partners. Between 2011 and 2016, he allegedly misappropriated a total of S$479,876 which had been entrusted to him by three clients for various matters, said the police.
He was charged in court on Thursday with three counts of criminal breach of trust. If found guilty, he faces life imprisonment or a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine.
In 2018, the former lawyer was struck off the roll of advocates and solicitors of the Supreme Court.
“Despite this, in 2019, Gurdaib Singh allegedly prepared an affidavit for another person in relation to a proceeding in the courts of Singapore,” said the police.
For doing so, he was charged in court with one count under the Legal Profession Act. If found guilty, he faces a jail term of up to six months, a fine not exceeding S$25,000, or both.
