Two Singaporeans charged with breaching SHN rules after returning from overseas

SINGAPORE - Despite being issued with a stay-home notice (SHN) after returning from overseas, he went out several times over the next few days, even attending a muay thai lesson at Tampines Safra.

Singaporean Lee Yi Sheng Daryl Paul, who had an electronic gateway and wristband to monitor his compliance with the SHN requirements, was charged in court on Friday (Nov 19) with breaching the Infectious Diseases Act.

He faces six other charges for offences including failure to wear a mask outside of his home.

Lee had arrived in Singapore on June 29 this year.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a press release on Friday that he allegedly left his home without wearing a mask to buy dinner at a coffee shop in Tampines on June 30.

The following day, again without a mask, he allegedly left his home to wait for a friend at his condominium's basement carpark.

"Later, Lee allegedly left his place of residence again to meet his friend, without wearing a mask, and they proceeded to have lunch at a coffee shop in Tampines," ICA said.

He is said to have attended a muay thai lesson at Tampines Safra later that same day.

When he returned home, an ICA officer was waiting for him as part of ICA's enforcement checks. Lee purportedly told the officer that he had gone to his condominium's gymnasium.

ICA said Lee had obtained approval on July 2 to serve his remaining SHN at a hotel instead of his place of residence.

"Before he left for the hotel, he allegedly damaged the strap of the electronic wristband while at his place of residence."

When this was uncovered by an ICA officer during an enforcement check, he purportedly claimed he had accidentally broken the wristband while on his way to the hotel in a taxi.

He will be in court again on Dec 10.

Singaporean Geramir Singh Dhoa Singh was also charged with committing an offence under the Infectious Diseases Act.

He had arrived in Singapore on Aug 27, and is said to have declared that he would be occupying his place of residence alone or only with household members with the same travel history as him and serving their SHN during the same period.

Geramir acknowledged and signed the physical declaration form.

However the next day, ICA's enforcement officers found other people who did not share the same travel history at his place of residence.

Geramir was charged with making a false declaration in his application to opt out of serving his SHN at dedicated facilities. He is expected to plead guilty on Dec 29.

Each offence under the Infectious Diseases Act carries a penalty of a fine of up to $10,000, a jail sentence of up to six months or both.

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