Vanessa Wang Zi Qi, a 47-year-old Singaporean listed as male in charge sheets, faces four charges related to causing annoyance and a separate charge for an incident involving physical harm.

He was back in court on Thursday (4 January) for his hearing as he faced 4 charges, with his lawyer Mr Jared Lee indicating that Wang would be pleading guilty, according to Channel NewsAsia.

He is set to plead guilty to his offences in court on Friday.

The Repeated Offenses

The court heard that Wang, on multiple occasions in November and December, attempted to pull open train doors at Braddell, Ang Mo Kio, and Yio Chu Kang MRT stations. These incidents not only disrupted the smooth operation of the train services but also caused annoyance to fellow commuters.

Adding to the severity of the case, Wang is also accused of kicking a man’s leg at Ang Mo Kio MRT station. This additional charge highlights the potential danger and aggression associated with Wang’s actions.

If convicted of public nuisance, Wang could face imprisonment for up to three months, a fine of up to S$2,000 (US$1,500), or both. The charge of voluntarily causing hurt carries even more severe penalties, including a jail term of up to three years, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.

Previously Faced New Charge of Public Nuisance

In a recent court appearance via video link, Vanessa Wang Zi Qi, the individual captured in the viral video attempting to pry open the doors of a moving MRT train, faced a new charge for being a public nuisance, according to a report by TODAY.

This development took place on Friday, Dec 29, with Wang having been offered bail at S$10,000 on Dec 21, which he was unable to secure due to the lack of a suitable bailor.

The Charges

Wang, aged 47, who was identified as a male in the charge sheets, now faces additional legal troubles with the new charge stemming from an incident at Yio Chu Kang station on Dec 1, 2023. This adds to his existing charges of two counts of public nuisance and one count of voluntarily causing hurt. The former charges relate to his attempts to pull open MRT doors at Braddell and Ang Mo Kio stations, while the latter involves an alleged act of violence at Ang Mo Kio MRT station.

Court Appearance and Bail Issues

During the court hearing, the prosecution expressed readiness to proceed with Wang’s case, intending to pursue three charges and consider one. However, the defense, represented by Jared Lee, sought an adjournment until Feb 1 or 2, citing the need for time to take instructions from Wang and make representations. This request was contested by the prosecution, arguing for a shorter time frame, considering the 23 days Wang spent in remand.

Recap

Videos circulating online depict a passenger attempting to pry open the sliding doors of a moving train on the North-South Line. Fellow commuters can be heard yelling at the person to cease the dangerous act. According to an eyewitness, the attempt briefly succeeded in opening one door before the intervention of other commuters prevented further actions.

SMRT president Lam Sheau Kai addressed the incident, noting that SMRT staff were alerted on Nov 29. However, the passenger reportedly turned uncooperative and aggressive when staff entered the train to investigate.

Photographs shared online reveal the aftermath of the incident, with the passenger lying in a foetal position on the platform of Ang Mo Kio station, surrounded by TransCom officers and station staff.

In the quiet corridors of The Alcove Condominium in Singapore, a seemingly ordinary incident unfolded, revealing a breach of trust that left a resident in distress.

This incident involves A Murugaiya, a 56-year-old Singaporean security guard, who was recently sentenced to three weeks’ jail for pocketing a Louis Vuitton wallet worth $1,800 that contained $500 in cash, that was dropped by a resident, according to Channel NewsAsia.

What happened?

It all started on a seemingly ordinary day when a 46-year-old resident accidentally dropped his wallet and keys at the entrance of The Alcove Condominium. Little did he know that this simple oversight would lead to a series of unfortunate events.

A passer-by, acting on goodwill, noticed the dropped wallet and keys and promptly handed them over to Murugaiya, who was manning the security desk at the condominium. This seemingly altruistic act, however, took a dark turn when Murugaiya decided to keep the wallet and its valuable contents for himself.

The victim, unaware of Murugaiya’s actions, approached him and his supervisor the next day to inquire about his lost wallet. Murugaiya, perhaps feeling the pressure of his misdeed, eventually admitted to taking the wallet, confirming it was in his possession.

However, the return of the wallet came with a shock – S$490 was missing, leaving only S$10 behind. Murugaiya failed to make any restitution for the substantial amount he had misappropriated.

Faced with the loss and betrayal, the victim took matters into his own hands, reporting the incident to the police. Murugaiya was subsequently arrested in December 2023, and the legal system took its course.

Position of trust

As a security guard, Murugaiya held a position of trust within the community. Residents relied on individuals like him to ensure the safety and security of their homes. However, in this case, the very person entrusted with upholding these principles became the perpetrator of a crime.

Murugaiya’s decision to pocket the wallet, a black Louis Vuitton valued at S$1,800, and the S$500 it contained, showcased a blatant disregard for the trust placed in him by both the resident and the community at large.

In a continued effort to combat illegal cigarette activities, Singapore Customs executed an operation at a carpark located in Geylang East Avenue 1 on 28 December 2023.

32-year-old Chinese national arrested

During the operation, officers from Singapore Customs meticulously conducted checks, leading to the discovery of 1,356 cartons and 3,190 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed within the cargo compartment of a truck. The truck driver, identified as a 32-year-old Chinese national, was promptly apprehended, and both the duty-unpaid cigarettes and the vehicle were seized as part of the operation.

Investigations into the incident revealed that the arrested individual had purportedly been engaged by an unidentified person through a social messaging platform. His alleged role was to collect and transport duty-unpaid cigarettes. Intriguingly, the suspect, who was employed as a delivery driver by a food company, utilized his employer’s truck for the illicit operation.

The total value of the duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded in this operation amounted to a substantial $179,292. Legal proceedings are currently underway as the case progresses through the judicial system.

Singapore Customs’ Statement

CHINESE NATIONAL ARRESTED FOR EVADING OVER $170,000 IN DUTIES AND TAXES

Singapore, 4 January 2024 – In our ongoing efforts to curb illegal cigarette activities, Singapore Customs conducted an operation at a carpark in Geylang East Avenue 1 on 28 December 2023.

2 During the operation, our officers conducted checks and uncovered a total of 1,356 cartons and 3,190 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes in a truck’s cargo compartment. The truck driver, a 32-year-old male Chinese national, was arrested, and the duty-unpaid cigarettes and truck were seized during the operation.

3 Investigations revealed that the man was allegedly engaged by an unknown person via a social messaging platform to collect and deliver duty-unpaid cigarettes. He was employed as a delivery driver by a food company and had used his company’s truck to deliver the duty-unpaid cigarettes.

4 The total duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) evaded amounted to $179,292. Court proceedings are ongoing.

5 Buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the GST Act. Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty, and GST evaded and/or jailed for up to six years. Vehicles used in committing such offences are also liable to be forfeited.

6 Members of the public with information on smuggling activities or evasion of duty or GST can provide information to Customs at https://go.gov.sg/reportcustomsoffence.

Annex A: Photos of the operations

FairPrice Group to supplement the government’s CDC support package with additional FairPrice return vouchers

• S$8 FairPrice return voucher to be given with every S$80 worth of CDC Supermarket vouchers transacted at all FairPrice stores between 3 to 17 January
• No minimum spend required for return vouchers, with multiple vouchers permitted for use in a single transaction

SINGAPORE, 3 January 2024 – FairPrice Group (FPG) is sparing no effort to assist all in Singapore to manage the challenges brought about by the unprecedented increase in the cost of living.

FPG announced today that it will distribute S$8 in FairPrice return vouchers for every $80 worth of CDC Supermarket vouchers spent in a single transaction at any FairPrice store^[1] from today till 17 January 2024. The S$8 FairPrice return voucher has no minimum spend requirement, and multiple vouchers can be used in a single transaction. The return voucher will be valid for use on the next day of issuance until 29 February 2024^[2].

In its second year of implementation, this FPG initiative complements the Government’s ongoing efforts to help Singaporeans manage the rising cost of living through the CDC Vouchers Scheme. Announced today, this year’s CDC scheme will provide households with a total of S$500 in vouchers^[3].

Vipul Chawla, Group CEO, FairPrice Group, said, “The increased cost of living over the last two years due to stubborn inflation and supply chain infractions has led to households cutting back on spending; including on daily necessities. As a social enterprise, it is our mission to support the communities in which we serve in their time of need. One of the ways that we are doing this is through supplementing the Government’s support packages with return vouchers. This year, we are supplementing the Government’s CDC support package with additional FairPrice return vouchers of $8 for every $80 spent.”

To help Singaporeans cope with the higher cost of living and cushion the impact of the GST increase, FPG announced in November 2023 that it would absorb the one per cent GST increase on 500 essential items for the first six months of 2024, and extend discount schemes for members of the Pioneer Generation (PG), Merdeka Generation (MG), and Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) Blue cardholders.

To find out more about the Government’s initiatives to support Singaporeans through the Assurance Package, please visit www.govbenefits.gov.sg/.

^[1] FairPrice supermarket formats include FairPrice, FairPrice Finest, Finest Gourmet, FairPrice Xtra, and Warehouse Club.

^[2] While vouchers last. For terms and conditions: www.fairprice.com.sg/events/in-store/cdc-voucher/

^[3] Find out more about CDC Vouchers Scheme: https://vouchers.cdc.gov.sg/