China Couple Who Lied to MOH at the Beginning of COVID-19 Outbreak Convicted of All Charges

By
George Yang
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Do you remember the days when COVID-19 was called the Wuhan virus?

Back then, when the first few cases were reported in Singapore, we got to know the details of each case, from where he went to where he worked.

If we were to do this today, the Ministry of Health (MOH) would have to publish a book daily.

In addition, back then, we remember a case whereby a couple from Wuhan allegedly lied about their whereabouts when the husband was later confirmed to be a COVID-19 case.

It’s no longer “allegedly”—after a trial that spanned over a year, the couple  are now convicted.

China Couple Who Lied to MOH at the Beginning of COVID-19 Outbreak Convicted of All Charges

The couple, Chinese Nationals Hu Jun and Shi Sha, have both been convicted of all charges against them. The case is adjourned to November for mitigation and sentencing.

Both of them face penalties of up to six months’ jail, a maximum S$10,000 fine or both, for each charge under the Infectious Diseases Act.

Previously, they had said that they would only plead guilty if they didn’t go to jail.

Given that someone went to jail for having bak kut teh while serving a SHN, you can bet that jail-time is most likely on the cards for the couple.

What Happened?

During the hearings, it’s revealed that the couple had lied about their whereabouts.

Hu Jun had provided false information to a health officer about his whereabouts from 22 January 2020 to 29 January 2020.

He said that after leaving the airport, he had been in a car to The Loft@Nathan, a condominium that his wife lives. According to him, he had stayed in the apartment on 22 January 2020, and had dinner with a friend that evening in the Orchard Rendezvous Hotel.

He had his symptoms the next day, but still went for a walk on 24 January 2020.

He then claimed that between 24 January to 29 January, he stayed in a friend’s empty house to isolate himself from his family members due to his fever.

It turned out that on the day he arrived in Singapore, he had allegedly gone to Long Beach Seafood@Stevens in Stevens Road at 12.52pm, and went to Marina One Residences later that day at 3.37pm.

Marina One Residences is, well, a luxury condo in Marina Way.

But that’s not all.

On 24 January 2020, he is also accused of going to the Chinese embassy in Tanglin Road at 10am, and Ngee Ann City at 11:15am.

He then allegedly went to the Intercontinental Singapore Hotel that evening.

On 28 January, a day before he was hospitalised, he’s also accused of making a trip to Studio M Hotel at 12:30pm.

As for the wife Shi Sha, she was supposed to be quarantined at home from 31 January to 12 February since Hu Jun was then already isolated in Singapore General Hospital.

She went off to stay in a hotel instead.

And because she needed to provide details of her movement, she even lied to MOH, saying that she had taken a taxi from the condominium unit to SGH, when she had obviously gone to the hospital from the unnamed hotel.

Both of them have mounted weird defences: Hu Jun blamed it on miscommunication, and even claimed that he isn’t certain if he, indeed, contracted COVID-19.

Shi Sha also cited miscommunication for her defence, and claiming that it was like “a chicken talking to a duck”.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh rubbished their claims, saying that the evidence from the contact tracers should be accepted. He added that “they have shown themselves to be inconsistent and dishonest.”

Now, if you think about it, if they had pleaded guilty last year, they would most likely be in China now without having to face these stressful hearings.

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Featured Image: YouTube (CNA)

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George Yang
Email: [email protected]