Former Singapore Idol judge Ken Lim Chih Chiang has appealed against both his molestation conviction and his 13-month jail sentence.
The 62-year-old appeared before the High Court on Friday, 11 September, with his lawyers challenging the trial judge’s assessment of the woman who accused him of molesting her during a work-related interview in 2021.
Justice Hoo Sheau Peng reserved judgment after hearing arguments from both sides. This means the court will announce its decision at a later date.
Defence Challenges Woman’s Evidence
Lim was convicted on 26 September 2025 of molesting the then 25-year-old woman at his Hype Records office. He was sentenced on 18 November that year to 13 months’ jail.
During the appeal, Senior Counsel Tan Chee Meng argued that the woman’s evidence contained inconsistencies which the district judge had not adequately addressed.
Among the issues raised were her accounts of conversations with Lim during an earlier interview, and how those accounts compared with messages she sent to people close to her at the time.
The defence also questioned her behaviour following the incident. CCTV footage showed Lim and the woman continuing to talk after leaving the office, before there was physical contact between them as they parted.
At trial, the woman explained that she was in shock and was not thinking clearly following the molestation.
The defence also challenged the physical circumstances of the offence.
The woman had testified that while she and Lim were kissing, he reached into her clothing and touched her breast for several seconds.
Mr Tan argued that carrying out the act in the manner described would have been physically difficult because Lim and the woman had been seated diagonally from each other on a couch.
The defence submitted that the prosecution had not sufficiently addressed this point.
Prosecution Says Victim’s Account Was Consistent
The prosecution rejected the defence’s arguments and maintained that the woman had been a highly consistent witness.
Deputy Public Prosecutor James Chew argued that something being awkward to carry out did not mean it was impossible.
He also said the woman had adequately explained her behaviour after the molestation.
The prosecution pointed to what happened after she left Lim. When she reached the place where her then-boyfriend was, she sat by herself instead of joining him and appeared troubled, according to evidence presented in court.
She told her boyfriend what had happened the following day.
The prosecution argued that the district judge had been correct to accept the woman’s account and that she had no apparent reason to falsely accuse Lim.
Lim Also Appealing Against 13-Month Sentence
Lim’s lawyers argued separately that his 13-month jail sentence was manifestly excessive and submitted that about eight months’ jail would be appropriate based on earlier cases.
The prosecution disagreed and asked the High Court to uphold the sentence.
The original sentence comprised 12 months’ imprisonment for the molestation offence and an additional month in lieu of caning. Lim cannot be caned because he is over 50.
The district judge who sentenced Lim had found that he exploited his position as an interviewer and the power imbalance between himself and the woman, who was seeking career opportunities in the entertainment industry.
Lim is also seeking to introduce additional evidence at the appeal in the form of representations previously made by his lawyers to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
His lawyers argued that the documents could support his position that he had not been untruthful at trial. The prosecution opposed the application, saying the material did not meet the requirements for admitting further evidence.
No date for the High Court’s decision was announced.
