8-11-2023 (SINGAPORE) Suspended lawyer M. Ravi has been sentenced to 21 days in jail for his contemptuous actions in two separate courtroom incidents that occurred in November 2021. The judgment was handed down on Wednesday by Justice Hoo Sheau Peng.
In the first incident, Ravi represented former SBS Transit bus driver Chua Qwong Meng in a High Court suit against the public transport operator. During the proceedings, Ravi repeatedly accused Justice Audrey Lim of bias, interrupted her, and even admonished her for rudeness.
In the second incident, which took place during a criminal case in the State Courts involving Magendran Muniandy, a Malaysian accused of forging documents, Ravi accused District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt of bias following a discussion about his scheduling for two trials in a single morning.
Justice Hoo Sheau Peng had previously found Ravi liable for nine instances of contempt on March 31, 2023. Ravi’s main defense was that he was experiencing a relapse of his bipolar disorder at the time and admitted to lapses in taking his medication on some days.
However, in delivering the sentence, Justice Hoo determined that Ravi’s relapse did not significantly impair his ability to exercise self-control and restraint. Consequently, she assigned only moderate mitigating weight to his mental condition.
Justice Hoo strongly criticized Ravi’s actions, describing them as “highly reprehensible.” She pointed out that Ravi’s non-compliance with his medication regimen and his failure to guard against the effects of his bipolar disorder while acting as a lawyer were deeply concerning.
Furthermore, the judge noted that previous sanctions imposed on Ravi for similar courtroom misconduct had not deterred him. She highlighted his lack of remorse for his actions as a significant factor in the proceedings.
Ravi commenced serving his 21-day jail sentence immediately. Notably, this marks the first time he has been charged and convicted for contempt of court, although he has faced suspension and financial penalties in past disciplinary proceedings for misconduct towards judges.
The incidents leading to Ravi’s contempt charges took place in November 2021. In one instance, he failed to show up before Judge Chay for a scheduled trial, instead appearing before another judge for an unrelated case. He later accused Judge Chay of bias and left the courtroom.
In another episode, while representing Mr. Chua in a trial, Ravi accused Justice Lim of bias and disputed her directions. He further asserted that her actions were against international human rights law and told her not to be rude, eventually causing disruption in the courtroom.
Ravi’s contemptuous behavior and allegations of bias against judges have raised concerns about his conduct in legal proceedings. The court’s decision to impose a jail sentence underscores the seriousness of these actions.
