Police probe duo for allegedly lying about Punggol killer litter incident
Police officers scoured a 17-storey block of flats in Punggol on Tuesday evening, speaking to residents and photographing the area, after they were alerted to a possible case of high-rise killer litter.
But in the course of investigations, the officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division found inconsistencies in the accounts of the alleged victim, a 35-year-old man, and his 25-year-old friend, who claimed the former had been hurt by high-rise litter.
The victim was reportedly bleeding from the head after he was struck by a beer bottle that fell from height. He was taken to Changi General Hospital.
The two men are now being investigated for allegedly lodging a false report.
The police said yesterday they received a call for assistance at about 6.25pm on Tuesday at Block 227A Sumang Lane, where the 25-year-old man claimed his older friend was a victim of high-rise littering.
But preliminary investigations revealed the latter's injuries were believed to be self-inflicted, and the two men had allegedly conspired to provide false information to the police.
The police yesterday warned that anyone who makes a false police report or provides false information will face serious consequences under the law.
Those convicted of giving information that they know to be false to a public servant can face up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
"The police would like to remind members of the public that police resources could have been put to better use in dealing with real crimes and emergencies than investigating false reports or false information," they said.
A resident told The New Paper on Wednesday he had seen two police cars and several officers at the foot of the block at about 7pm.
The police stayed for two hours, during which they took photographs of the area.
Residents who knew about the alleged incident mostly found out through the neighbourhood's WhatsApp chat group or when police officers knocked on their doors.
Most of those approached by TNP were not aware of the incident and had not noticed or heard anything suspicious.
A resident on the eighth-storey, who wanted to be known only as Firdaus, said the police asked him if he had heard about the alleged incident or knew about similar incidents in the area.
Investigations against the two men are ongoing.
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