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SINGAPORE \u2013\u00a0The High Court on Feb 23 enhanced the sentence handed down to lawyer and opposition politician Lim Tean for practising law over a two-month period in 2021 <\/p>\n without a valid certificate.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Lim, 61, was <\/p>\n originally given six weeks\u2019 jail<\/p>\n <\/a> and a fine of $1,000 by a district judge in February 2025 after he was found guilty of three charges under the Legal Profession Act. <\/p>\n He appealed to the High Court against his conviction and sentence, while the prosecution appealed for a higher sentence. <\/p>\n On Feb 23, Justice Kannan Ramesh enhanced Lim\u2019s jail term to three months and a week.<\/p>\n Lim, who was represented by Mr Patrick Fernandez and Mr Mohamed Arshad for the appeal, was granted a deferment of the sentence. <\/p>\n Mr Arshad said his client is considering bringing the case further to the Court of Appeal, and that Lim has to prepare a mitigation plea for a client in a pending criminal case. <\/p>\n Justice Ramesh ordered Lim to surrender at the State Courts on April 24. <\/p>\n Lim is also the founder of opposition party Peoples Voice (PV) and a co-founder of the People\u2019s Alliance for Reform, an alliance that includes PV.<\/p>\n He still has pending charges for other offences, including harassment and criminal breach of trust. <\/p>\n Under the Constitution, a person who is jailed for at least one year or fined a minimum of $10,000 is disqualified from running for election or holding a parliamentary seat for five years. <\/p>\n Over a period of more than two months, from April 1, 2021, to June 9, 2021, Lim attended a multitude of court hearings and submitted many documents to court while not having a valid practising certificate in force.<\/p>\n In Singapore, lawyers must apply for their practising certificate every practice year, which runs from April 1 to March 31 of the following year.<\/p>\n Lim failed to apply for his practising certificate for practice year 2021\/2022 by March 31, 2021.<\/p>\n This was because he faced difficulties with obtaining his professional indemnity insurance, which was a prerequisite for applying for his practising certificate.<\/p>\n Lim applied for his practising certificate only on June 9, 2021, and was issued the certificate the next day.<\/p>\n He claimed trial to the charges, but chose to remain silent and declined to call any witnesses when called to defend himself during the trial.<\/p>\n