Healing the Divide founder Iris Koh, doctor, ex-assistant face charges for bogus claims on Covid-19 jabs

(From left) Iris Koh, Jipson Quah and Thomas Chua were handed additional charges on July 27, 2022. ST PHOTOS: KELVIN CHNG

SINGAPORE - Iris Koh, the founder of anti-vaccine group Healing the Divide, was handed two more charges on Wednesday (July 27).

Both were for allegedly making false representations to the Ministry of Health (MOH) over Covid-19 vaccinations.

For one of her latest charges, she allegedly worked with general practitioner Jipson Quah, 34, and Gary Tho Kong Choong to commit the offence last October.

The trio allegedly made a bogus claim Mr Tho had received the Sinopharm vaccine, when he had not, so he could obtain a certificate of vaccination against Covid-19.

Koh is also accused of working with Quah, his then assistant Thomas Chua Cheng Soon, 40, and Cedric Lim Junqi, also known as Mohammad Daniel Lim, to make similar false representations to MOH on Jan 14.

The group allegedly committed the offence so Mr Lim could obtain a certificate of vaccination even though he had not received the Sinopharm vaccine.

Koh, 46, has two earlier charges of allegedly making false representations to MOH over Covid-19 vaccinations and obstructing a policewoman from performing her duties.

In her earlier charge, Koh was allegedly part of a conspiracy between July last year and this January that claimed certain people had received the Sinopharm vaccine when they had not.

Koh also allegedly tore up a printed copy of her police statement recorded on Jan 25 at Police Cantonment Complex.

Quah was slapped with nine more charges on Wednesday. These were also for making false representations to MOH over Covid-19 vaccinations.

According to his latest charges, he allegedly worked with Chua, David Christopher Newton, Mr Stephen Columbus Sayson and Ms Elizabeth Monica Paglar between December last year and this January to make bogus claims so certain individuals could receive certificates of vaccination even though they had not received the Sinopharm vaccine.

Newton, 43, was charged over his alleged role in the offences last month. The Australian's case is still pending.

Court documents did not indicate if the others are being dealt with.

They allegedly committed the offences so Newton, Ms Paglar, Mr Sayson, Ms Wonglangka Apinya, and Ms Natalie Carmella Sayson could receive the certificates.

Quah also allegedly engaged in conspiracies with Ms Ngo Soh Yong and Mr Sim Hong Ow last year so the pair could each obtain a certificate of vaccination even though they had not received the Sinopharm vaccine.

Quah is already facing one charge of a similar offence, allegedly committed in January.

Chua was handed six more charges on Wednesday.

They were also for making false representations to MOH over false claims certain people had received the Sinopharm vaccine when they had not.

For the new charges, Chua is accused of committing the offences with Quah on five instances. In one charge, they allegedly worked with Koh.

These are on top of the one charge Chua is facing over a similar offence.

Quah has been suspended over administering fake Covid-19 jabs to about 15 patients, allegedly charging at least three people up to $1,500 per dose.

In its grounds of decision published online in April, the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) said these offences were very serious and warranted the maximum suspension of 18 months.

SMC also said Quah's actions had put the general public at risk, and could have undermined confidence in the medical profession and Singapore's Covid-19 testing capabilities.

The SMC's interim orders committee set out examples of how Quah had broken the rules.

Among other things, he administered saline solution to the 15 patients in place of the Covid-19 vaccine.

He then reported these patients to the National Immunisation Registry as having been vaccinated.

In June, Koh was allowed to go to Malaysia for treatment for thyroid cancer.

The trio's cases have been adjourned to Sept 7.

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