S'pore woman fined for false police report on near-abduction in JB
A Singaporean has been fined RM1,000 (S$307) by the Magistrate Court in Johor Bahru for making a false police report claiming she was nearly abducted at a shopping mall.
Amyra Laila Ho, 45, pleaded guilty in front of magistrate Hidayatul Syuhada Shamsudin after the charge was read out to her in English on Jan 28.
According to the charge sheet, she provided false information to police personnel at Larkin police station in Johor Bahru at around 1am on Jan 22.
Based on the facts of the case, Ho claimed in her report that on Jan 10, at around 1pm, she was approached by a man and a woman at a shopping mall in Jalan Seladang in the Taman Abad area.
The man and woman were promoting Chinese tea to her, but she declined their offer before the woman insisted that she smell the tea leaves, which Ho claimed caused her to feel dizzy and stiff.
She further claimed that the man then held her right arm while claiming that he was her husband, which Ho denied, while the other woman had taken her handbag, which contained RM400.
In an earlier statement, Johor police chief M. Kumar said police investigations revealed that the alleged abduction attempt did not occur.
“Based on CCTV recordings and technical evidence, no movement involving the victim was detected at the location,” he added.
Ho had committed an offence and was charged under Section 182 of the Penal Code for providing false information to cause public officials to use lawful authority to another person’s detriment.
The offence carries a maximum of six months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both, upon conviction.
Ho pleaded guilty to the offence and Ms Hidayatul handed her a RM1,000 fine in default of three weeks’ imprisonment.
The deputy public prosecutor was Nur Fatihah Mohd Nizam, while the accused was unrepresented.
Ho paid the fine.
But the police chief said that comments about the alleged abduction attempt had already gone viral on various social media platforms, receiving negative feedback from internet users who believed the incident truly occurred.
“Social media influencers also commented on the issue, framing it as a threat to the safety of tourists visiting Johor. The Johor police would like to assure the public that safety and security in the state remain under control,” he said.
“We are committed to monitoring the security situation and warn that strict action will be taken against anyone who deliberately spreads rumours or manipulates facts to cause public anxiety, particularly concerning safety issues.” – THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now