Woman who shouted 'kangaroo court' gets new charges, remanded in IMH

SINGAPORE — A woman accused of behaving in an insulting and disorderly manner in a courtroom during anti-masker Benjamin Glynn's trial has been handed new charges for spitting at police officers.

A judge on Monday (Nov 14) granted the prosecutor's request for Lee Hui Yin, 52, to be remanded in the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for psychiatric observation.

This was after Lee appeared in court via video link from where she was remanded and spoke about how her right hand was purportedly damaged. She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall several times during her court mention.

Lee was given two new charges on Monday of using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty. She is accused of spitting in the faces of two police officers in a police vehicle on Nov 10 this year.

She was charged last week for behaving in a disorderly manner in the State Court during Glynn's trial in August 2021 and of using insulting words towards a judge.

She allegedly said "this is ridiculous kangaroo court" and "I do not respect the judge" in a district court in August 2021.

On Monday, after the new charges were tendered, Deputy Public Prosecutor Chong Kee En asked if Lee could provide her position on the fresh charges.

Lee did not respond. The judge asked if she could hear them, and she slowly raised her thumb to indicate yes.

District Judge Lorraine Ho then asked Lee if she was able to raise bail. She had been offered S$10,000 bail at her last court mention.

Lee said: "I do not understand, I do not consent. This all started with a simple (matter) that could be settled with a fine, but you make matters worse. And now what happened was — there was no warrant of arrest. I did not see any warrant of arrest.

"I did see a warrant to compel me to attend court, which I already submitted a cure and remedy to the States. The police trespassed upon my home. I was in shock. I was in panic. I have a history of panic attacks."

The judge interjected and asked Lee if she was able to get a family member or friend to bail her out.

Lee said yes she could, but said the investigating officer kept her phone. She said she needed to look at the contacts in her phone.

The judge asked her who she intended to ask to be her bailor, but Lee began talking about how her right hand had been purportedly damaged and maybe even paralysed.

She finally said she intended to call her aunt or her "ambassador" and "law advocate".

The prosecutor interjected to say that if she was referring to Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, he obviously could not be her bailor as he was himself facing court proceedings.

Abdul Rashid first appeared in court claiming to be the lawyer for Glynn, but was later shown to have no practising licence. He claimed to be an "ambassador at large and advocate of Kingdom Filipina Hacienda".

Lee said she just needed to call Abdul Rashid for him to send a message to her partner, as "nowadays people don't pick up the phone they just send messages".

The judge then asked the prosecutor about the status of the case, and was told that investigations are still pending, but should be over "fairly soon".

"There is no need to investigate any further," said Lee. "I am not a criminal."

At this point, Mr Chong asked if it may be prudent to remand Lee at IMH in relation to her fitness to plead.

He said that when Lee was charged, a previous IMH report showed that she was stable in relation to her previous sets of offences allegedly committed last year.

However, he said he now had "some concerns" in relation to the new set of offences and Lee's general fitness to plead.

In response to this, Lee said: "Your honour, I am perfectly sane. I am not insane. I am just having panic attacks. I was allowed bail by the previous judge. I need to get out to check on my injuries, because I had injuries all over my body. My right hand now I cannot move my right hand. I have nerve damage, it could have been paralysed, I don't know."

She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, before claiming that the investigating officer knocked her head and kept saying "I will charge you".

"Is that right? He is a public servant, he is supposed to serve the public and he just keep investigating," she said.

The judge made the order for Lee to be remanded at IMH for psychiatric observation for two weeks after receiving a report from the investigating officer recommending it.

When she heard about the order, Lee said that she did not consent.

"The first judge said I am sane," she said. She raised her arms to show the bruises that were on them and said she needed to have photos of her bruises taken.

The judge said she would inform the prison doctors of Lee's complaint, but Lee continued: "They are not taking pictures of my bruises. If I were to go to IMH and if something were to happen to me in IMH, if I commit suicide, you are going to answer to my queen Legaspi of the Sovereign Kingdom."

Lee will return to court on Nov 28. CNA