A 46-year-old Singaporean man, Zeng Jianlong, was sentenced to 4 days imprisonment on 30 May after pleading guilty to two charges under the Park and Trees Act, with 4 other charges being considered during his sentencing.
According to Shin Min Daily News, he had been sleeping at the East Coast Park pavilion for months with his belongings.
He was originally fined $1,400 but couldn’t pay the amount and was sentenced to jail time instead.
What happened?
In 2022, a 46-year-old man was discovered sleeping in a pavilion located in East Coast Park.
Camping in the park is permitted only in designated areas with the appropriate permits, and the pavilions are strictly off-limits for this purpose.
However, the man, identified as Zeng Jianlong, was found sleeping in the pavilions multiple times during the months of March to June 2022, as reported by Shin Min Daily News.
National Parks Board (NPark) inspectors encountered Zeng sleeping in a pavilion on several occasions between April 8th and May 1st, 2022, during their routine patrols in the park, which took place between 3 am and 6 am.
Moreover, in December 2021, Zeng also entered a restricted shelter area due to Covid-19 restrictions and remained there without permission.
During their investigation, authorities found evidence indicating that Zeng had essentially turned the pavilion into his temporary residence.
Personal belongings, including an inflatable mattress, folding table and chairs, mug, cooler box, and fishing gear, were discovered within the pavilion. Furthermore, Zeng was observed smoking in the pavilion despite the presence of a “no smoking” sign.
Zeng appeared in court on May 30th, where he faced six charges under the Park and Trees Act. The prosecutor highlighted that living in public parks without proper authorization is prohibited, even for campers who need to obtain camping permits for designated areas.
Moreover, Zeng’s possessions had completely taken over the pavilion, rendering it unusable for other park visitors.
Zeng pleaded guilty to two of the charges, and the judge considered the remaining charges during sentencing. He was ultimately fined S$1,400, but as he claimed he was unable to pay the amount, he was sentenced to four days in jail instead.
Zeng offered no mitigation or explanation for his actions, leaving his motives for sleeping in East Coast Park undisclosed.
However, during a previous hearing, he stated that he was unaware of the need for a permit to sleep in the park. The judge instructed Zeng to remove his belongings from the pavilion before the May 30th hearing, and Zeng confirmed that he had complied at the start of the subsequent hearing.