In Singapore the discretion to prosecute or not to prosecute is vested in the Attorney-General as Public Prosecutor.  Although the A-G cannot consider every single case, ultimately he is responsible for the decision to commence or not commence criminal proceedings.This lecture will deal with the matters that have to be considered when a decision to prosecute or not to prosecute is taken.  A good prosecutor must decide in accordance with the law.  But often there are issues of policy involved in these decisions.  The ethical dimension of prosecutorial decisions is important.

An understanding of how prosecutorial decisions are made is useful not only for prosecutors but also for defence counsel, civil lawyers and even the lay public.

About the Speakers:

Professor Walter Woon Cheong Ming SC is currently the Lee Kong Chian Visiting Professor, Yong Pung How School of Law at the Singapore Management University; Honorary Fellow of St John’s College Cambridge University; Emeritus Professor (formerly David Marshall Professor of Law) at the National University of Singapore; and Chairman Emeritus of RHTLaw Asia LL.P in Singapore. He was Singapore’s Solicitor-General 2006-2008; Attorney-General and Public Prosecutor 2008-2010; and Judge Advocate General 2006-2008. He is the co-author with Alexander Woon of Essential Criminal Law (2026, Thompson Reuters). Professor Woon has served as ambassador to the European Union, Germany and the Vatican (inter alia), a nominated member of parliament and legal adviser to the President and Council of Presidential Advisers.