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29 year old Chua Ci Jie, who is working as an research officer with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) was given a jail term of 24 days and a fine of $3,500 after claiming trial for using criminal force to hinder a public servant from carrying out duties and also for refusing to show evidence to identify himself.
He also pleaded guilty to offences of not providing evidence to identify himself and also fishing at an illegal spot in a nature reserve.
What happened
Chua went to Upper Seletar Reservoir for fishing on 29 Nov 2019.
It was noted that fishing is prohibited at the nature reserve except for spots which are demarcated for fishing and Chua was about 1km away from the allowed fishing spot.
An NParks officer who was wearing a body cam which recorded everything approached Chua who was still fishing to ask for his particulars, but Chua refused to provide them and told the officer that he would move from the prohibited area.
When the officer instructed Chua to follow him to a nearby hut, Chua refused to and walked in an opposite direction, apologising for his deeds and told the officer that he had to leave even though the officer told him that he had the authority to stop him.
Two of the officers colleagues saw the commotion and went to provide assistance to the first officer.
When Chua saw them approaching, he ran down a nearby slope and the first officer pulled him back on his bag strap, causing both of them to roll down the slope.
Once they rolled down and at the bottom, the officer testified that Chua had pushed him with an immense force on his upper arm causing him to fall and land on his buttocks.
The injured officer then lodged a Police report and went to seek medical treatment a few days later.
Chua ran away along a path while the other two NParks officers gave chase.
They eventually caught up with Chua and asked for his particulars however Chua refused at first but subsequently gave them his NRIC.
Claimed he could not hear the officer clearly
During his court session, Chua claimed that the officer did not identify himself clearly and he did not think that he was from the authorities.
The prosecutor however argued that Chua was a recalcitrant who was caught fishing at the same spot previously and had escaped because he wanted to avoid getting punished again.
Image source: NParks/Facebook, Google Maps