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Man Jailed for More Than 5 Months for Going to Moneylender Even When He Was Infected With COVID-19

2021-10-15 , 9:27 am

Last Updated on 2021-10-27 , 3:02 pm

COVID-19 is serious business, and as shown in recent times, it takes precedence over anything else in your life.

Be it work, family, or money.

A security guard learnt that the hard way when he decided to leave his home after testing positive to get money for Hari Raya.

Here’s what happened.

Man Tested Positive For COVID-19

56-year-old Burhanto Rejo worked at a Tanah Merah Coast Road foreign worker dormitory since 2018.

In May 2020, the dormitory in question became a COVID-19 cluster.

On 18 May 2020, Burhanto developed acute respiratory symptoms and was given an MC of 5 days.

If you recall, since COVID-19 started, a 5-day MC for respiratory symptoms means you cannot leave your home.

In addition, it was the Circuit Breaker period then.

A doctor at Yishun Polyclinic also repeatedly told him that he was required, by law, not to leave his home.

On 23 May 2020, Burhanto found out that he was infected with COVID-19.

The doctor, who informed him at around 9am, told him he has to self-isolate himself at home while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

At 1pm, he received another call, informing him that his ambulance will reach in 6 hours.

Worried

Six hours. That’s a long time to get his matters settled; except that he shouldn’t leave his home to do any of them.

Unfortunately, that was what Burhanto decided to do.

Worrying that his family might not have enough money for Hari Raya Puasa, which falls on 24 May 2020, he got his niece to book a private-hire ride to Midtown Hougang Central.

Goldstar Credit

Upon arrival at the mall, Burhanto made his way to Goldstar Credit.

To get the money, Burhanto lied to the loan officer on his health declaration, saying that he did not exhibit any flu-like symptoms or is under any Stay-Home-Notice (SHN).

He was seated on a sofa on the second floor when his sister called him; an ambulance officer is at his home.

He reached home at around 3pm and was taken to the hospital promptly.

Consequences

Due to Burhanto’s decision, money was lost and people had to be quarantined.

Goldstar Credit spent S$600 on disinfecting its premises.

Two drivers and a loan officer, as well as their family members, had to be quarantined.

Thankfully, there was no evidence that anyone was infected due to his actions, according to the prosecution.

Nonetheless, that wasn’t enough to save Burhanto from punishment.

On 14 Oct 2021, Burhanto was sentenced to 5 months and two weeks’ jail for flouting SHN while on medical leave.

The prosecution had asked for a six-month jail term but Burhanto pleaded for leniency, saying that his family will have a hard time when he, the sole breadwinner of the household, goes to prison.

The district judge also gave him a stay of execution, delaying his imprisonment to 22 Nov, so that he can prepare financial documents and make some money to tide his family over his prison term.