Punjab-origin woman jailed in Singapore for not wearing mask

PARAMJEET KAUR PLEADED GUILTY TO ONE CHARGE EACH FOR FAILING TO WEAR A MASK OVER HER NOSE AND MOUTH, AND FOR CAUSING PUBLIC NUISANCE

SINGAPORE : A 41-year-old Indian-origin woman in Singapore was on Friday sentenced to two weeks’ jail and a fine of 2,000 dollars (around Rs 1 lakh) for not wearing a mask while she was outside her residence, according to a media report.

Paramjeet Kaur pleaded guilty to one charge each for failing to wear a mask over her nose and mouth and for causing public nuisance, The Straits Times reported.

Five other charges were taken into consideration by district judge Ronald Gwee during sentencing.

Three of these were for breaching Covid-19 regulations while the other two were for failing to report her change of home address and for refusing to sign her statement at a police station, the report said.

Kaur was sentenced to two weeks’ jail and a fine of 2,000 Singapore dollars, it said. The judge backdated Kaur’s jail term to May 5 last year, when she was remanded in the Institute of Mental Health for two weeks.

For failing to wear a mask over the nose and mouth, a first-time offender can be jailed for up to six months, or fined up to 10,000 Singaporean dollars or both.

Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to a year, or fined up to 20,000 Singaporean dollars or both.

Kaur made headlines in May last year after she was caught on video not wearing a mask and engaging in a heated argument with passers-by at Shunfu Mart near Upper Thomson Road.

In the video clip, which went viral, she claimed that she was “sovereign”.