Man fined for leaving house during 'circuit breaker' to gamble in Chinatown

SINGAPORE: During the COVID-19 "circuit breaker" interval in 2020 when non-essential actions have been banned, a person left his dwelling to gamble with 10 different individuals in Chinatown.

Goh Hock Poo, 51, was fined S$5,500 for his offences on Tuesday (Aug 10).

In mitigation, he mentioned he didn't need to go for one of many outings as he was not feeling properly, however went as a result of his spouse requested him to take her.

Goh pleaded responsible to three costs together with playing in a typical gaming house and assembly 10 different people not from his family.

The courtroom heard that cops carried out a raid at Jun You Friendly Association at 54 Temple Street at about 9.40pm on May 8, 2020.

They discovered Goh in the unit with 10 co-accused individuals. He was seated at a desk with three others, utilizing mahjong tiles to play "labi", a sport of probability.

The 10 people with Goh have been largely males aged in their 50s, 60s or 70s, and one 72-year-old girl.

Despite being caught, Goh went again to the identical location on Jun 4, 2020. Police officers raided the situation once more and located Goh inside with 10 different co-accused, comprising males in their 50s, 60s and 70s.

The prosecutor sought a wonderful of S$5,500, saying Goh has no associated earlier convictions.

Goh pleaded for leniency, asking for the lightest wonderful. "I'm just a Grab driver, times are bad," he mentioned by way of a Mandarin interpreter.

The decide replied: "Why should I give you the lightest fine? Everyone comes and asks for a light fine. The question is why should I give you a light fine?"

"For the second COVID charge, I didn't want to go. I wasn't feeling well," Goh continued. "My wife asked me to bring her there that's why I was there."

He insisted he had solely S$300 on him and repeatedly advised the interpreter that was all he may pay. After some deliberation, the decide gave him a while to pay his wonderful in instalments by April 2023.

For gaming in a typical gaming house, Goh may have been jailed up to six months, fined up to S$5,000, or each.

For every COVID-19 offence, he may have been jailed up to six months, fined up to S$10,000, or each.