SingaporeMan gets jail for making false declaration in order to serve stay-home notice at residence
Singapore Airlines flight crew members walk along the transit hall of Changi Airport in Singapore on Sep 3, 2021. (Photo: AFP/Roslan RAHMAN)
Davina Tham
14 Jun 2022 12:06PM (Updated: 14 Jun 2022 12:06PM)
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SINGAPORE: A man was on Tuesday (Jun 14) sentenced to three weeks' jail for making a false declaration in order to serve his stay-home notice at home instead of a dedicated facility.
Lu Yi Yin, 49, went to Taiwan on Feb 17, 2021 and returned to Singapore on Jul 14 later that year.
He pleaded guilty to one charge under the Infectious Diseases Act.
On two occasions, he falsely declared that he would stay in his residence alone or with household members with the same travel history and stay-home notice duration.
At the time, Singaporeans and permanent residents who had only visited Taiwan in the 21 days prior to their departure for Singapore could opt out of stay-home notice dedicated facilities if they met those conditions.
Lu, a permanent resident, made the false declaration in an online form before leaving Taiwan. He was informed that his application was successful.
Upon arrival at Changi Airport, he repeated the declaration in a physical form despite knowing that it was false.
At the airport, an Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer also reminded Lu of the terms of opting out of a dedicated facility, and these were reproduced on the stay-home notice issued to him.
On Jul 15, 2021, ICA officers were informed by the ICA stay-home notice command post that Lu had made a false declaration.
During a house check that day, they found Lu's wife and daughter living in the same residence as him. They did not share the same travel history as Lu and were not serving the same stay-home notice period.
Lu tested negative for COVID-19 that same day.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Foong Ke Hui sought the jail sentence imposed, arguing for the need to deter similar offences. She said that Lu had multiple opportunities to correct his mistake, but did not do so.
Defence lawyer Chua Hock Lu asked for a fine, arguing that Lu had taken it upon himself to "mitigate" the risk of COVID-19 transmission by not being in contact with his family members.
Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan noted that Lu committed the offence more than a year into the COVID-19 outbreak in Singapore.
He said that Lu was given numerous reminders but nonetheless made false declarations.
He also noted the risk of exposure to the two others living in the same residence, and that there was no indication they stayed at home.
"If there had been a COVID-19 transmission, these two other persons could themselves not only been infected, but could have been infecting others," said the judge.
As a first-time offender, Lu could have been jailed up to six months, fined up to S$10,000 or both.
Source: CNA/dv
