POLICE FORCED TO RETURN HAN HUI HUI’S PERSONAL PROPERTY

On Tuesday (14 Oct), Hui Hui’s lawyer M Ravi wrote to the Central Police Division demanding the return of Hui Hui’s personal property.

Hui Hui was asked to go down to the Central Police Division to be interviewed for an alleged “unlawful assembly” offence at Hong Lim Park on 27 Sep. At the time, Hui Hui was helping to organize the #ReturnOurCPF event at the park. At the same time, YMCA was also conducting its charity event in the same place, with Minister of State Teo Ser Luck invited to grace the YMCA’s event. The 2 events clashed.

Later, writing on his Facebook page Mr Teo apologised to YMCA and the children for the “inconvenience caused” because of his presence at the event.

Last week (10 Oct), Hui Hui went down to the Central Police Division to be interviewed by one Senior Investigation Officer, Inspector Wong Yu Wei.

She was reported to have been at the police interview for more than seven hours, and emerged from the police station at about 10pm later that night.

During the police interview, she actually made a written record of the questions asked as well as her answers. She was acting on legal advice by Mr Ravi to do so.

In his letter to the police, Mr Ravi explained, “This personal record was prepared so that she (Hui Hui) would have accurate details of the matters in question for her legal advisers, and as such it constituted a privileged legal communication.”

However, Hui Hui’s written record was unfortunately seized from her by the police that day. Mr Ravi contended that this was a wrongful seizure of private property from a citizen.

Mr Ravi wrote, “It is a matter of the gravest concern that it appears this personal record was seized from her at the interview and has not been returned to her.”

“We request an explanation for the wrongful seizure of private property from our client,” he added and demanded the return of the personal record back to his client, Hui Hui.

A date was set for the police to return Hui Hui’s personal record by 4pm yesterday (15 Oct).

Mr Ravi also added, “We place you on formal notice that this document is a private document over which legal professional privilege is asserted.”

Police agrees to return Hui Hui’s notebook

Today (16 Oct), the police formally replied Mr Ravi.

DSP Sukhdev Singh, Chief Investigation Officer of Central Police Division, said, “Your client’s notebook is not a document covered by a legal professional privilege.”

Nevertheless, DSP Singh said that the police is “of the view that it will not be necessary to retain the notebook any further for investigations” and added that Inspector Wong Yu Wei will be returning Hui Hui’s notebook.

Mr Ravi confirmed with TRE that the police called saying they will return the notebook to her personally by today.

“It is crystal clear that the police have no basis to confiscate the notebook and it was a wrongful seizure,” Mr Ravi said.

“We maintain our position that the notebook is a confidential document covered by legal professional privilege,” Mr Ravi added.

“It is also jealously safeguarded by litigation privilege. The notes taken by Hui Hui are meant to prepare her defence (should she be charged). It’s time that our citizens know their rights.”