SINGAPORE – Video court hearings will now include pleas of guilt and sentencing for accused persons on remand, with the opening of a new video court facility at Changi Prison Complex.
The facility, which has been in use since March, has 81 cubicles that are equipped for internet-based video conferencing.
There are now dedicated spaces for different types of proceedings, including mentions, pre-trial conferences, pleas of guilt, sentencing, pre-reading sessions and quick consultations.
The change is in line with the 2018 amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code.
Virtual hearings were previously used only for selected proceedings such as applications for bail, release on personal bond and extension of remand, the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) said on April 29.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the facility, Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai said that SPS began expanding its video court capabilities in February 2019, adding that the need for such facilities became more urgent when Covid-19 struck.
“The SPS (video court facility) aligns with Singapore’s broader digital transformation of the courts and legal sector, which collectively contribute to a more integrated, modern justice system,” said Mr Murali.
SPS said it had previously operated 17 video-conferencing cubicles, 13 of which were retrofitted during the Covid-19 pandemic to allow court hearings to continue amid public health restrictions.
Superintendent of Prisons An Koh Shian, who is the senior assistant director at SPS’ sentence management branch, said: “During Covid-19, there were public health restrictions and social distancing measures, which restricted our movement to the courts.
