Prominent Lawyer In Court For Alleged Close Proximity Case
By Ignatius Stephen

Bandar Seri Begawan - As the religious authorities intensified a renewed drive against Khalwat and Zina an increasing number of people have been apprehended and produced before the Syariah Courts.

The latest to be arrested was a 53-year-old lawyer whom the Religious Affairs officials held in a midnight raid on his Chinese secretary's house on Wednesday.

Religious Court officials named the lawyer as Sarjeet Singh of Sarjeet & Co who has his offices at Wisma HHH 2nd floor 41 Jalan Sultan in the capital. 

This is the first time a lawyer has been produced before the religious court for Khalwat.

Khalwat is committed when members of the opposite sex who are not man and wife are found alone under suspicious circumstances although they may not be having sex.

Zina is illicit intercourse.

The Wednesday night raid was carried out when the lawyer was found alone in his secretary's house at Jalan Tanjong Bunut.

The secretary's husband was not in the country at the time of the raid.

The lawyer is a non-local and a divorcee running a one-lawyer firm in the capital and has been practicing in Brunei for more than 25 years.

He was released on bail on a charge of Khalwat or close proximity in suspicious circumstances under section 177 of the Religious Council and Kadi Courts Act that carried a maximum sentence of one month's jail or $1,000 fine.

He is to appear again before the Syariah Court in a month's time.

The Chinese secretary, who is in her late 40s, being a non-Muslim was not charged for any offence. The lawyer is a Muslim convert.

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