'Parrot man' accused of assaulting two cops
Former businessman Zeng Guoyuan, better known as "Parrot Man", has been taken to court for allegedly assaulting two police officers, one of whom may have suffered a hairline fracture on his right forearm.
Zeng, 65, who used to be a director at Prof Zeng Medical Centre International, was charged on Thursday last week with two counts of causing hurt to the policemen.
On Oct 13, Zeng was said to have grabbed and twisted Staff Sergeant Haider Yahya's right forearm at the Geylang Serai Market. As a result, Zeng allegedly bruised and caused a possible hairline fracture to the policeman's limb.
He is also accused of kicking Sergeant Aloysius Aw Yong Zhao Lun's face and hands, causing bruises.
COMPLAINT
The Straits Times earlier reported that the officers were responding to a complaint from a member of the public at 11.30am that day about a man asking people for money at Block 1 Geylang Serai.
The police said at the time that the man had turned violent and hurt two officers during the arrest.
In August this year, Zeng was arrested after he allegedly verbally abused a man in Orchard Road.
Zeng, who has a gaping hole on his face where his nose used to be after being diagnosed with nose cancer in 2014, had contested the 1991 General Election as a Workers' Party candidate.
In the last seven years or so, he had often made the news for declaring his intention to run in elections but subsequently backing out.
He was often photographed in the past with a pet parrot perched on his shoulder.
In 2015, Zeng told The New Paper in an interview that he had to make a living by selling tissue paper outside the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho temple in Waterloo Street.
Zeng was offered bail of $10,000 last week and will be back in court on Nov 14.
Those convicted of causing hurt to a policeman can be jailed for up to seven years and fined or caned for each count.
Zeng cannot be caned as he is over 50 years old.
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