A 38-year-old US national, who is also a Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR), will be charged in court on 5 March 2021 under the Infectious Diseases (COVID-19 – Stay Orders) Regulations 2020 after breaching his Stay-Home Notice (SHN) requirements.

Charged with breach of SHN requirements

2        The SPR arrived in Singapore on 19 September 2020 from China after transiting in Hong Kong, and was served with an SHN from 19 September to 3 October 2020. After immigration clearance, he was brought to a hotel in the City Hall area, which is an SHN dedicated facility, to serve his 14-day SHN.

3        Investigations showed that the SPR left the hotel on 19 and 20 September 2020 in breach of the SHN requirements to meet his wife, who is also an SPR but not on SHN. On 19 September 2020, his wife picked him up from the hotel and the couple then spent about an hour and forty minutes together in the car in the vicinity. On 20 September 2020, his wife again picked him up and they spent about five hours in the car, first in the vicinity and later in a carpark nearby .

4        The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has investigated the SPR’s wilful breach of SHN requirements, and he will be charged in court with two counts of an offence under the Infectious Diseases (COVID-19 – Stay Orders) Regulations 2020 on 5 March 2021.

Importance of Complying with SHN Requirements

5        To safeguard our community’s health and safety, everyone needs to play their part and comply with the SHN requirements. All travellers are to comply with the prevailing public health regulations and requirements in Singapore. More information on the prevailing SHN and swab requirements for travellers can be found on the SafeTravel website.

6        Those who fail to comply, including persons who tamper with and/or remove the electronic monitoring device during the SHN period, will be liable to prosecution under the Infectious Diseases (COVID-19 – Stay Orders) Regulations 2020. The penalty may be a fine of up to S$10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to six months. Foreigners may face further administrative actions by ICA and/or MOM, such as revoking, or shortening the validity of permits and passes to remain/work in Singapore.

7        Members of the public can report information about anyone who fails to comply with SHN requirements to ICA at go.gov.sg/reportshnbreach or call 6812 5555.

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
5 MARCH 2021