Lim Tean to be charged with criminal breach of trust, unlawful stalking

SINGAPORE: Lawyer and opposition politician Lim Tean will be charged in court on Thursday (May 12) with criminal breach of trust, unlawful stalking and being an unauthorised person who acted as an advocate or solicitor, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Tuesday.

The criminal breach of trust charge relates to an incident in November 2019 when Mr Lim was entrusted with a sum of S$30,000 which was awarded to a former client as a settlement in a motor injury civil suit, SPF said in a news release.

Mr Lim allegedly misappropriated the money.

The unlawful stalking charge relates to the alleged harassment of a former employee in 2020 while she was working at Mr Lim’s law firm.

Mr Lim, a lawyer with Carson Law Chambers, was arrested in relation to an alleged criminal breach of trust offence in 2020 and was also under investigation for alleged unlawful stalking at the time.

Mr Lim was arrested after failing to comply with a police notice to attend a compulsory interview to assist with investigations into his alleged offences, SPF said in 2020.

Mr Lim is also alleged to have acted as an advocate or solicitor without a valid practising certificate on 66 occasions between Apr 1 and Jun 9 last year, the police said on Tuesday, adding that investigations are ongoing.

The offence of criminal breach of trust is punishable with imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine.

Those convicted of unlawful stalking face up to 12 months in prison, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.

For acting as an advocate or solicitor as an unauthorised person, offenders face up to six months in prison, a fine of up to S$25,000, or both.