SINGAPORE: The last four of the 11 trainee lawyers who cheated in the 2020 Bar examinations withdrew their applications to practise law on Friday (Aug 26).
The four are: Mr Sean Wong Wai Loong, Ms Joleen Ong Jia Yi, Mr Lim Zi Yi, and Ms Annabelle Au Jia En.
Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, who heard the applications in the High Court, ordered that the four not bring a fresh application for admission to the Bar for a duration of between nine months and three years.
Ms Ong's duration is three years, Mr Wong's two years, Mr Lim's one year while Ms Au's is nine months.
Chief Justice Menon had earlier heard and granted the same to the first trainee lawyer, Mr Leon Tay Quan Li, who had decided to withdraw his application in May. Mr Tay was barred from reapplying to the Singapore Bar or other jurisdictions for five years.
Six others - Ms Monisha Devaraj, Mr Kushal Atul Shah, Mr Sreeraam Ravenderan, Mr Matthew Chow Jun Feng, Mr Lionel Wong Choong Yoong and Ms Lynn Kuek Yi Ting - followed suit in withdrawing their applications on Aug 15. This was granted by Justice Choo Han Teck, who did not set a time for them to reapply.
The six had cheated during the 2020 Part B exams that law graduates must pass in order to practise law in Singapore. Five had communicated with each other and shared answers in six of the papers, including one for “Ethics and professional responsibility”, through WhatsApp.
The sixth, Ms Kuek, had colluded with another candidate to cheat on three papers.
In April, Justice Choo adjourned the Bar admission hearing of Ms Kuek for a year, and the hearings of the other five for six months.
Justice Choo had initially redacted the identities of the six trainees to prevent them from being prejudiced in the long run, but revealed their names after sharp public interest in the matter.
That same month, the Attorney-General said that five more trainees were found to have cheated in the 2020 qualifying exams, bringing the total number of people involved to 11.
These five include the four who withdrew their applications today.
Continue reading...
The four are: Mr Sean Wong Wai Loong, Ms Joleen Ong Jia Yi, Mr Lim Zi Yi, and Ms Annabelle Au Jia En.
Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, who heard the applications in the High Court, ordered that the four not bring a fresh application for admission to the Bar for a duration of between nine months and three years.
Ms Ong's duration is three years, Mr Wong's two years, Mr Lim's one year while Ms Au's is nine months.
Chief Justice Menon had earlier heard and granted the same to the first trainee lawyer, Mr Leon Tay Quan Li, who had decided to withdraw his application in May. Mr Tay was barred from reapplying to the Singapore Bar or other jurisdictions for five years.
Six others - Ms Monisha Devaraj, Mr Kushal Atul Shah, Mr Sreeraam Ravenderan, Mr Matthew Chow Jun Feng, Mr Lionel Wong Choong Yoong and Ms Lynn Kuek Yi Ting - followed suit in withdrawing their applications on Aug 15. This was granted by Justice Choo Han Teck, who did not set a time for them to reapply.
The six had cheated during the 2020 Part B exams that law graduates must pass in order to practise law in Singapore. Five had communicated with each other and shared answers in six of the papers, including one for “Ethics and professional responsibility”, through WhatsApp.
The sixth, Ms Kuek, had colluded with another candidate to cheat on three papers.
Related:
In April, Justice Choo adjourned the Bar admission hearing of Ms Kuek for a year, and the hearings of the other five for six months.
Justice Choo had initially redacted the identities of the six trainees to prevent them from being prejudiced in the long run, but revealed their names after sharp public interest in the matter.
That same month, the Attorney-General said that five more trainees were found to have cheated in the 2020 qualifying exams, bringing the total number of people involved to 11.
These five include the four who withdrew their applications today.
Continue reading...