Couple not allowed to return to China before COVID-19 trial

[covertbriar]

SINGAPORE: A Chinese couple on trial for obstructing COVID-19 contact tracing efforts will not be allowed to return to China before the trial resumes in January, after a High court review of a district judge's decision granting them permission to leave Singapore.

Justice Vincent Hoong on Monday (Oct 19) agreed with the prosecution's application to overturn the decision by District Judge Ng Peng Hong.

Judge Ng had granted the application on Oct 9 for Hu Jun, 39, and his wife Shi Sha, 37 to leave Singapore for China and to return in January before the trial resumes.

Judge Ng had increased bail by S$80,000 each and imposed conditions such as providing their travel details to their investigating officer.

This was after the couple's lawyer Dhanwant Singh said his clients had spent a long time away from home and that Hu needs to return to China for business reasons.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh had objected, and said the pair would abscond as neither of them has any ties or roots in Singapore.

"All we have is really the accused persons' say that they will not abscond. This is not sufficient," Mr Koh had said.

More at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...ouple-return-china-high-court-review-13312498

 

[sweetiepie]

KNN my uncle think they can make things so difficult to them to show that sg law cannot pray pray but at the same time they themselves have committed offence more serious than the couple KNN I.e blocking all the walkways and force divert crowd to a bottleneck to increase their chance of getting infected without any valid leeson KNN I.e with no safe entry checks KNN

Obstructing contact tracing leesult is suspected involved infected person is not traceable whereas force diverting crowd to bottleneck is blanket spread to the community KNN which 1 more serious? KNN

 

[A Singaporean]

Send them to prison.

 

[laksaboy]

Of course. When they go to Tiongland, you'll never see them again.

By the way, investigate that district judge who allowed them to go.

 

[countryman]

It's not that a serious offence.. They didn't kill, rob, cheat or harm anyone! Just imposed a fine on them n let the couple go back to their country. What's the point of keeping them here till Jan next year n sentencing them to 2-3mths jail? Wasting time n resources.

 

[blackmondy]

I'm willing to bet the Tiong embassy will interfere and our useless gahmen will let them off quietly.