SCDF NSF jailed 18 weeks for breaching stay-home orders
A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) full-time national serviceman ignored doctor's orders to stay home after showing symptoms of Covid-19 and instead visited Bugis Junction and the skate park in Somerset.
He found out later he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Fathullah Abdul Rahman, 23, was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison yesterday for flouting orders to remain at home while on medical leave and awaiting the results of his Covid-19 swab tests.
He faced four charges in court for breaching stay-home orders while on medical leave on four occasions last year.
On Sept 17 last year, he had a runny nose, sore throat and cough and was diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infection. The doctor gave him a swab test for Covid-19 and three days of medical leave until Sept 19. This required him by law to remain at home until he received a negative test result.
But the next day, he left his home in Geylang and returned home at 10pm, after spending 10 hours outside.
After his test result came back positive the next day, he was taken to Changi General Hospital and hospitalised for four days. He was then quarantined at D'Resort in Pasir Ris and discharged on Sept 27 last year.
In three other incidents that month, he breached stay-home orders to visit the Singapore Expo, the Ikea store in Tampines, and the Kallang area.
Seeking a jail term of five to six months, Deputy Public Prosecutor Yong Ngee Goh said: "While he is relatively young, (Fathullah) is by all intents and purposes an adult."
A significant response is needed to deter like-minded offenders who make light of the pandemic, the DPP added.
In mitigation, defence lawyer Yamuna Balakrishnan noted that while it was no excuse, there was a lack of space at home for Fathullah as he lives in a three-room flat with six others and occupies the living room.
He had been selected to undergo training to be an SCDF section commander and this was terminated after he was caught - a price he paid for his actions, Ms Yamuna argued.
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