Govt to help defendants in criminal cases

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http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/premium/singapore/govt-help-defendants-criminal-cases-20131207

THE government will give direct assistance and support to defendants in criminal cases through criminal legal aid.

Details are still being worked out, but Law Minister K Shanmugam has said that about 6,000 people - half the roughly 12,000 accused persons each year - could benefit from some form of legal representation.

Speaking at the Association of Muslim Lawyers' inaugural lecture yesterday, he noted that only 20 to 30 per cent of the 1,000 applications received by the Law Society of Singapore's Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (Clas) each year qualify for aid.

The types of offences for which they may be granted assistance under Clas are also limited, he added.