Woman in viral video of hospital argument with police sentenced to jail, fined $600
Chinese national pleads guilty to multiple charges, including abusive behaviour and false work permit application
SINGAPORE — A woman who went viral for her TikTok videos in which she argued with the Singapore police after causing a disturbance at a hospital has been sentenced on Wednesday (25 October) to five weeks and five days in jail, along with a fine of $600.
CNA reported that Han Feizi, a 29-year-old Chinese citizen, pleaded guilty to five charges. These included using force and alarming a security guard at her condominium, using abusive language with a hospital worker, engaging in public nuisance, and making a false statement on her work permit application.
Three more charges were considered during her sentencing.
From condo altercation, hospital havoc and false work permit application
On 3 October, Han was found squatting in the ground floor lobby of her condominium, The Sail@ Marina Bay, by two male security guards, who offered to assist her.
However, Han became aggressive toward one of the guards, pointing her finger at him aggressively. The situation escalated further in the elevator, where Han attacked the guard, necessitating his restraint. During the altercation, she also repeatedly hurled vulgarities at him.
The second incident occurred on 10 October, when Han was taken to Singapore General Hospital's accident and emergency department after a supposed traffic accident involving a Grab driver rolling over her foot.
Upon arrival, she directed profanities at the nurses, prompting an employee to call the police. Han, who had consumed a bottle of alcohol, was attended to by medical professionals and placed in a wheelchair.
While at the hospital, she created a disturbance by loudly demanding for the Grab driver, claiming he had abandoned her. When a hospital staff member tried to explain the administrative process and asked her to wear a mask, Han threw the mask on the floor and continued shouting vulgarities.
CNA reported the judge as saying there was no excuse for Han's behaviour, describing it as loutish, belligerent and aggressive.
According to court documents from the Attorney-General's Chambers and the Ministry of Manpower, Han applied in August for a clerk position at a company called KDL Elements, after her student pass application was rejected.
However, prosecutors said that she had never intended to work as a clerk for the company. Instead, she came to work as a hostess and, in her own words, "the only reason she wanted to enter Singapore was for fun".
She entered Singapore in July with an in-principle approval, and her work permit was subsequently issued in August. As of now, she has yet to fulfil any work duties at KDL Elements.
Her apology and plea for leniency
Han, who had been in custody for almost two weeks, followed the court proceedings from a women's prison via Zoom without legal representation.
CNA reported that the Mandarin interpreter conveyed Han's statements to the court during mitigation.
She expressed her "deepest apologies and remorse" for her actions, adding that it was her first time living in a foreign country.
"I'm not familiar with the law in Singapore, I should not have reacted in the way that I did," she told the court.
She described her state as "frantic and helpless" after the accident with the Grab driver, and her shouting in the hospital was an expression of her distress.
In her plea, she requested leniency and the opportunity to return to her family to nurse her injuries. She said three of her closest relatives are battling cancer, and her initial motivation for coming to Singapore was to provide financial support and alleviate her family's hardships.
Han went on to express her reflections during her time in custody and conveyed her sincere apologies for her comments on social media and the videos she had posted. She also acknowledged the inconvenience and trouble her actions had caused others.
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