'Sovereign' woman gets more jail time for shouting 'kangaroo court', insulting judge in anti-masker's trial

SINGAPORE: A woman who identifies as a "sovereign" was sentenced to another five weeks' jail on Friday (Aug 18) for shouting "kangaroo court" and insulting the judge who was presiding over the trial of a fellow anti-masker.

Tarchandi Tan, formerly known as Lee Hui Yin, pleaded guilty to one count of using insulting words towards a public servant. A second charge of behaving in a disorderly manner in court was taken into consideration.

Her latest jail term will begin after she finishes serving her current jail term of eight weeks for refusing to attend police investigations over the "kangaroo court" charge, refusing to turn up in court and for spitting at the police.

The court heard that Tan came to court on the morning of Aug 18, 2021, to attend the trial of Briton Benjamin Glynn. Glynn was on trial for charges including failing to wear a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tan, who was unemployed at the time, subscribed to the theory that she is a sovereign individual, of whom the government including Singapore's had no inherent power over, without her individual consent.

She knew Glynn as he was a fellow member of this community, said the prosecutor.

Tan sat in the second row of the public gallery and wore a mask at first. At least 18 members of the public, including reporters, were in the gallery as well.

At about 10am, while court was in session, an auxiliary security officer spotted Tan's mask was not covering her nose. He advised her to pull it up.

Tan began making a scene. Footage from the security officer's body worn camera was played in court depicting the ruckus she made.

She shouted: "This is ridiculous kangaroo court", "If the kangaroo court requires me to wear a mask" and "I do not respect the judge".

After shouting, she refused to leave the courtroom and was later escorted out. The prosecutor said this incident took place "in the presence of media personnel". The news reports were tendered as part of the documents in court.

Tan later expressed her wish to apologise to the judge, District Judge Eddy Tham.

SOVEREIGN IDEAS NOT PART OF DELUSION

The Institute of Mental Health issued a psychiatric report on Tan, saying she had residual symptoms of schizophrenia, but that her sovereign ideas were not part of a delusion.

There was no contributory link between her condition and the offences, and she is fit to plead in a court of law.

Tan's hearings have been riddled with breaks, postponements and stand-downs as she repeatedly challenged statements. On Friday, her case was originally set for 11am but it was stood down to 4pm for her to reconsider her position.

The prosecutor sought six to eight weeks' jail for Tan, saying that the nature of the insult was egregious and directed at the integrity of the court, by implying it was a sham proceeding.

The insult was also directed at the entire court system, he said, with the victim a district judge. The comments were also given in the context of mask-wearing, which was the subject matter that the judge was adjudicating, said the prosecutor.

He said Tan had an "obvious pattern of defiance to public servants", citing her past convictions. These included a 2014 conviction for using insulting words towards a public servant, for which she received a mandatory treatment order.

However, he recognised that Tan had made the comments in the "heat of the moment" and expressed her wish in her first interview to apologise to the judge.

"I WAS JUST SPEAKING MY TRUTH": TAN

Tan made her own mitigation from prison, where she is serving her sentence. She said she believed that she had a right to free speech.

"I had written to many agencies. There was no contract for me to wear a mask, or vaccinate, or keep quiet in court," she said. "My birth certificate does not constitute a contract."

Tan added that she was sorry and apologised to the judge.

"But however, my intention was not to cause any hurt or harm. I was just speaking my truth. I believe I was standing up for the people, because the power of the government and the courts emanates from the people, and if the people (are) not allowed to speak, then the courts, the government, is just a corporation operating with its own agenda," she said.

"I'm sorry to have caused ... whatever," she added. She said she had written to the previous judge who handled her charges of refusing to attend police investigations, District Judge Kow Keng Siong.

"I did write to him, but I put the wrong name," she giggled. "I put Khaw. Khaw Boon Wan."

The prosecutor said Tan remains "devoid of any appreciation of the seriousness of the insult to a district judge" more than two years later.

In response, Tan said: "I didn't kill anybody. I just want this to be over."

In sentencing, District Judge Teoh Ai Lin said Tan had amply displayed her disrespect for the judge and proceedings and repeated her utterances at the judge during ongoing court proceedings.