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Mr Panneerselvam Arunasalam was finned $4,000 for feeding monkeys at the Central Catchment nature reserve. -- ST PHOTO: HEDY KHOO
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THE High Court on Tuesday sent out a message that those charged with feeding monkeys in nature reserves will be looking at a fine of around $3,000.
Judge of Appeal V.K. Rajah made it clear that the benchmark was a starting point - depending on the circumstances and culpability of the offender, the fine in each case could be more or less.
Justice Rajah laid down the sentencing guideline even as he reduced the fine of a 45-year-old man caught feeding monkeys in Mandai last August, from $4,000 to $1,000.
While a clear message had to be sent out, Justice Rajah said that the case of Panneerselvam Arunasalam was not the appropriate case to do so.
One reason he gave was that Panneerselvam's offence was committed before the heightened newspaper coverage about the problem of monkey-feeding last December.
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