Man charged for breaching quarantine order less than half an hour before it ends
SINGAPORE — Two men – one who allegedly breached a quarantine order, and the other who allegedly flouted circuit breaker measures – were charged in court on Friday (24 April).
The Singaporean men are Tay Chun Hsien, 22, and Shake Mohammed Abdul Samad Haji Abduraheem, 44.
Breaching quarantine order by leaving residence
Tay faces one charge of breaching a quarantine order on 22 March by leaving his residence at Block 617 Choa Chu Kang North 7 between 11.30am and 12pm. He was supposed to be isolated for the protection of the public between 19 and 22 March, 12pm.
According to a Ministry of Health press release, Tay left his home to go to a neighbourhood shopping mall for breakfast without the permission of the Director of Medical Services. He left his house less than half an hour before his quarantine order was due to be completed.
Tay, who is unrepresented, told the court that he did not intend to get a lawyer and wanted to plead guilty. His plead guilty mention has been fixed for 29 April.
If convicted of breaching his quarantine order, Tay may be jailed up to six months and/or fined up to $10,000.
Spitting in public place, using criminal force on officer
Shake faces a total of five charges, all pertaining to offences committed on 22 April.
He is said to have violated a control order without reasonable excuse by leaving his place of residence, and failing to wear a mask over his nose and mouth while outside his residence.
He allegedly spat in a public place at a void deck of Block 99 Aljunied Crescent at about 9.37am and failed to comply with a National Environment Agency (NEA) enforcement officer’s demand for his name and address.
He also allegedly used criminal force on the NEA enforcement officer, by using a beer can to touch his hand and handphone, preventing the officer from executing his duty.
Appearing through a video-link on Friday, Shake told the court that he wanted to plead guilty and did not intend to engage a lawyer.
Convicted for obscene act in February
A police prosecutor told the court that Shake had been convicted for the offence of obscene act on 27 February. He was assessed by the Institute of Mental Health then and concluded to be fit to plead guilty.
District Judge Lorraine Ho noted that Shake had last received treatment from IMH in March for schizophrenia and that, after he was arrested, the investigation officer reported that Shake had behaved unusually by talking to himself emotionally.
The DJ applied for Shake to be remanded at IMH for psychiatric treatment again. He will return to court on 8 May.
If convicted of spitting in a public place, under the Environmental Public Health Act, Shake can be fined up to $2,000 on a first offence.
If convicted of failing to comply with any requirement properly made to him by a police officer or Health Officer, he can be fined up to $500.
If convicted of leaving his residence without a reasonable excuse, or for failing to wear a mask, he may be jailed up to six months and/or fined on each charge.
For using criminal force on a public servant discharging his duty, he may be jailed up to four years, or fined, or both, upon conviction.
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