Man who allegedly attended social gathering in Circuit Road amid coronavirus outbreak charged

SINGAPORE - A 38-year-old man who is said to have left his home to attend a social gathering at a woman's flat was later served an invite he could not refuse - a day in court.

Francis Soh Seng Chye was charged on Friday (May 8) with unlawfully attending a social gathering amid the coronavirus outbreak, an offence under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures Act) 2020.

The Singaporean is said to have left his home between 7pm and 8pm on April 8 to meet Ms Lye Bao Ru in a Circuit Road flat.

Other details about the woman were not revealed in court documents.

The gathering, which lasted about an hour, involved six people from Ms Lye's household and Soh, according to a statement by the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Social gatherings across different households are prohibited from April 7 to June 1.

Soh, who will be back in court on May 20, said he intends to plead guilty.

MOH said it "will not hesitate to take enforcement action against those who fail to comply with the Covid-19 regulations".

There was no mention if Ms Lye and the five others from her household had committed an offence.

For unlawfully attending a social gathering, first-time offenders can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000.

Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $20,000.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.