SINGAPORE — The Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) has been ordered to pay a refund of more than S$32,000 in costs to Member of Parliament Christopher James de Souza, after the 47-year-old was acquitted of improper professional conduct as a lawyer.
Mr de Souza had originally been ordered to pay the same amount to LawSoc for the disciplinary tribunal proceedings brought against him for misconduct.
The disciplinary tribunal had found Mr de Souza, who is also Deputy Speaker of Parliament, guilty of helping a client suppress evidence from the court. Instead, the client used them to file police and other reports against the parties the client was suing. The sum comprised costs of S$18,000 and disbursements — or expenses incurred by the law firm on behalf of a client — of S$14,394.12.