SINGAPORE - The man who allegedly left a bag unattended at Hougang MRT station last month, triggering a security alert and shutdown of the station, was charged in court on Wednesday (May 17) with causing annoyance to the public.
Chinese national Wang Jianpo, 39, is accused of leaving his blue luggage unattended on the train platform between 2.25pm and 2.45pm on April 2. If convicted of causing annoyance, he can be fined up to $1,000.
Hougang MRT station was shut down for an hour on that day as police were called in to investigate the unattended bag.
Commuters were not allowed into the station and trains in both directions on the North-East Line did not stop at the station. Those who were in the station were asked to leave.
Commuters were redirected to bus services or other train stations.
The station re-opened shortly after 4pm after the bag was found not to contain anything suspicious.
Officers from the Ang Mo Kio Police Division and the Public Transport Security Command, with the assistance of SBS Transit, traced the owner of the bag who was arrested at the station at about 4.35pm.
Wang, who was unrepresented, told the court that he intends to plead guilty to the offence.
He will be back in court on June 9.
