COVID-19: 2 foreign nationals charged with violating quarantine orders
UPDATE: Story updated with details from the Ministry of Health
SINGAPORE — Two foreign nationals were each charged on Friday (17 April) with violating their quarantine orders (QO) in February.
Chinese national Liu Dufeng and Indian national Vardireddy Nageswara Reddy turned up in the State Courts to receive their charges under the Infectious Diseases Act. The two work permit holders are believed to be the first persons to be charged with leaving their respective places of isolation without official permission.
Liu, 49, faces two counts of leaving his place of isolation on 19 and 21 February without the permission of permission of the Ministry of Health’s Director of Medical Services despite being a suspected contact of the COVID-19 virus.
According to a Ministry of Health press release on Friday, Liu was issued a QO to be isolated at his residence at 45 Genting Road from 12 to 24 February. He had acknowledged the contents of the QO but relocated to 14 Genting Road on 19 February to continue his isolation under the instructions of his employer.
MOH said that Liu failed to inform his employer that he was not supposed to be relocated while under quarantine and failed to seek official permission for his relocation. Liu’s charge sheet states that Liu left his residence at about 7pm on 19 February.
MOH investigations also revealed that Liu had left his residence on 21 February to find a bank at MacPherson Road. He allegedly left at around 10.30am to 12pm.
In court, Liu said through a Mandarin interpreter that he was merely following his company’s instructions as he was asked by his firm to move from one location to another as there was no space for him at the first location.
A Ministry of Health prosecutor handling the case replied that the prosecution was aware of the details but that the Attorney-General’s Chambers would have taken this into consideration if it had decided to charge him.
Liu indicated that he wished to claim trial to one of his charges. His case has been fixed for a pre-trial conference on 8 May.
Vardireddy, 35, was charged with one count of leaving a place of isolation without the permission of the Director of Medical Services on 24 February between 8.10 pm and 8.35pm.
According to the press release, Vardireddy was issued with a quarantine order on 17 February. He was required to be isolated at home from 16 to 20 February but had the quarantine extended to 25 February, 12pm.
Vardireddy had acknowledged the contents of the QO but left his home to buy some items at the neighbourhood shopping mall on 24 February.
The prosecution said that it was ready with Vardireddy’s plea but was awaiting the outcome of another case before proceeding. Vardireddy told the court that he intends to plead guilty. His next court hearing has been fixed for 23 April.
If convicted of their breaches, each man may face up to six months’ jail and/or a fined of up to $10,000.
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