|
Peach Garden at Thomson Plaza has been suspended after 43 people fell ill with gastroenteritis symptoms.
"Two were hospitalised and are in stable condition," the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a media release on Apr. 24. Those who were affected consumed food prepared by the Chinese restaurant between Apr. 17 and 18. The authorities are investigating eight incidents of gastroenteritis. The operations at the Thomson Plaza outlet has been suspended since Apr. 22 until further notice, in view of the "suspected ongoing transmission". Peach Garden operates six outlets in Singapore that includes fine dining and casual dining concepts. Customers share experience Some of those affected told reporters about their experiences. They said the food served at the buffet was cold when they were there. One customer, in his 30s, who visited the outlet with friends for dinner on Apr. 18, said "about 80 per cent of the food was served cold". All eight persons in his group subsequently fell ill, he claimed. For another customer, Angelia, 25, she had dinner there with her family on the same day to celebrate her father's birthday. It was also their first time at the Thomson Plaza outlet. She said the food at their buffet tasted normal, but some tasted "cold" and "hard" More than half of the group had food poisoning, she claimed, including her nine-year old niece and her 60-year-old father. In an email sent to customers that was seen by reporters, Peach Garden said it would be "conducting an internal investigation". The email requested customers to send in their medical bills and doctor's memo to "aid in the investigation". "The health and satisfaction of our customers are of utmost importance to us. Please be assured that we take this matter seriously and are committed to maintaining the highest standards of hygiene and customer satisfaction," the email read. Reporters has reached out to Peach Garden for comment. Suspended until further notice "SFA will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act," the agency said. The statement added that the licensee is required to clean and sanitise the premises, including equipment and utensils, and dispose of all ready-to-eat food and perishable food items, SFA and MOH said. All food handlers working at the Thomson Plaza outlet are also required to re-attend and pass the Food Safety Course Level 1 and test negative for foodborne pathogens before they can resume work. The appointed food hygiene officer working at the restaurant must re-attend and pass the Food Safety Course Level 3 before resuming his or her role. Meanwhile, members of the public concerned about food safety practices by food operators are advised not to patronise such outlets but to report to SFA via the online feedback form (www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback). A total of 20 motorists, aged 28 to 51 years, will be charged in court on Apr. 25, 2024 for drink driving offences.
Failed breathalyser tests The motorists were arrested between January and March 2024 when they failed the breathalyser tests during routine police checks. One of the motorists will face an additional charge for another traffic offence. Fell asleep at wheel For the case involving the additional charge, a 51-year-old man had allegedly left his car in a stationary position in the yellow box, at the junction of Bedok North Avenue 1 and Bedok North Road 1 on Mar. 12, inconveniencing and endangering other road users. Investigations revealed that the man had driven his car after allegedly consuming alcohol, and fell asleep behind the wheel. He will be charged for drink driving and leaving a vehicle in a manner causing undue inconvenience to others under the Road Traffic Act. Penalties The offence of driving while under the influence of alcohol under carries a fine of not less than S$2,000 and not more than S$10,000, or a jail term of up to 12 months, or both. In the case of a second or subsequent conviction, the offence carries a fine of not less than S$5,000 and not more than S$20,000, and a jail term up to two years. Offenders may also face disqualification from driving all classes of vehicles. The offence of leaving a vehicle in a manner causing undue inconvenience to others carries a fine of up to S$2,000, or a jail term of up to three months, or both. In the case of a second or subsequent conviction, motorists are liable to a fine of up to S$5,000, or a jail term of up to six months, or both. Over 2 years’ jail for man who assaulted Malaysian actor with baton at Singapore Expo event4/25/2024 SINGAPORE – A man who attacked a Malaysian celebrity with an extendable baton during a fan meeting at the Singapore Expo in March 2023 was sentenced to two years, four months and two weeks’ jail on April 25.
Muhammad Nabil Rashid committed the offence due to delusions that the victim – Mr Ahmad Kamal Ahmad Adli, 36, better known as Kamal Adli – had molested Nabil’s female relative. Nabil, 34, a Singaporean, pleaded guilty to one count of assault and two counts of using criminal force on another person on Jan 31. On March 12, 2023, Mr Ahmad – known for his roles in Malay-language horror film Niyang Rapik, action comedy film Abang Long Fadil and several television shows – took part in a celebrity meet-and-greet session at a bazaar event at the Singapore Expo. His attendance was advertised on social media, and he had also posted on Instagram about it. Nabil, who believed the actor had molested his relative, decided to go to the event and attack the actor after he saw the advertisements. Court documents did not state what spurred him to feel that way. Armed with an extendable baton, Nabil wore a cap and a face mask before travelling to the Singapore Expo. He arrived there shortly before 9.20pm and called out to Mr Ahmad when he saw him. In January, Deputy Public Prosecutor Cheah Wenjie told the court: “(The actor) thought the accused wanted to take a photo together with him, and approached the accused. “The accused then took out the extendable baton from his pocket, extended it to its full length, and hit (him) once on the top of his head, once on the left side of his face, and once on his arm.” After that, Nabil pulled down his face mask and smiled at Mr Ahmad before walking away. Members of the public and the actor’s family members chased Nabil and pinned him down. The police arrested Nabil soon after and both men were then taken to Changi General Hospital (CGH). Mr Ahmad suffered facial wounds, one of which needed four stitches. At around 11pm at CGH, while in a wheelchair, Mr Ahmad crossed paths with Nabil, who spat at him. Nabil was remanded at the Institute of Mental Health following the attack. A psychiatrist who examined him felt that he suffered from a psychiatric illness – likely delusional disorder. Dr Cheow Enquan also felt he had antisocial personality disorder. Despite these, he stated that Nabil was not of unsound mind during the attack and was aware that his actions were wrong. Dr Cheow stated in his report that the attacker did not know Mr Ahmad personally. The doctor said he believed that Nabil had a complete lack of insight into his illness and refused to take any medication, despite multiple attempts to persuade him to do so. In earlier proceedings, defence lawyer Wee Hong Shern told the court that his client is now taking his medication and has the potential to be rehabilitated. In an unrelated case on April 2, 2022, Nabil spat at a 39-year-old woman’s face, following an argument in Sembawang. She alerted her 55-year-old husband, who called the police. Nabil then spat at the older man and placed him in an armlock. SINGAPORE – An American man who ran a fraudulent forex trading scheme involving more than $18 million from over 1,300 clients was sentenced to three years and three months’ jail on April 25.
At the time of the offence, Michael Philip Atkins, 51, was a director at Singapore-based firm Aureus Capital. He was its majority shareholder and had full control of the scheme, which used only a fraction of the clients’ monies for forex trading. The operation was run in the style of a classic Ponzi scheme, where purported returns to clients were paid using the funds from other clients. “Such a business model was clearly unsustainable and... the company finally imploded,” said Deputy Public Prosecutor Hon Yi in earlier proceedings. In the end, the clients received around $12.7 million in total from Aureus Capital and they suffered nearly $6 million in losses. On April 15, Atkins pleaded guilty in a Singapore district court to carrying on a business for a fraudulent purpose. Between April 2013 and July 2014, Aureus Capital offered leveraged foreign exchange trading services and schemes. Clients entered into agreements allowing it to engage in forex trading on their behalf. Under these agreements, the company would be entitled to 40 per cent to 50 per cent of the profits generated from the trading, while the losses from trading would be fully borne by the clients. At the time of the offence, Aureus Capital maintained two trading accounts with Oanda Asia Pacific, a separate company which offers foreign exchange trading. Clients were told that Aureus Capital would manage their funds by trading forex on Oanda. They were also instructed to transfer cash into a bank account. The bank account received more than $18 million in total from clients between April 2, 2013, and July 15, 2014. Instead of using the monies for forex trading, more than $14.7 million was used for other purposes, such as paying Aureus Capital’s directors, including Atkins. Only around $1.7 million of the more than $18 million was deposited into Oanda, the court heard. Weekly statements sent to clients concealed the fact that only a small portion of clients’ funds was used for forex trading. The statements reported profits which were not reflective of actual trading results. In fact, Aureus Capital was making losses on its Oanda trading accounts. The clients said they were told on June 13, 2014, that Aureus Capital needed to cease trading as it was “acquiring a banking licence”. The clients did not receive any money when they asked for their investments to be withdrawn. E-mails from the firm claimed it was being rebranded and that all clients’ monies would be refunded by July 28, 2014. Clients alerted the police when the company and its directors became uncontactable. Atkins was arrested in 2014 and an Interpol red notice was issued against him after he jumped bail. Such a notice requests law enforcement units worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or other legal actions. He was traced to the United States in 2017 and an extradition request was sent to the authorities there in 2020. He was successfully extradited to Singapore and re-arrested here on March 18, 2023. Driver in Tampines fatal crash identified and charged; out on $30k bail and electronically tagged4/25/2024 SINGAPORE – The car driver involved in a six-vehicle crash in Tampines that killed two people has been handed four charges.
Muhammad Syafie Ismail, 42, was charged on April 25 with dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing hurt, and dangerous driving. He was also charged with failing to stop after an accident. The prosecution said additional charges may be tendered against Syafie, and sought an adjournment for investigations to be completed and for a medical report to be ready. Syafie was offered bail of $30,000. As part of his bail conditions, he must not have contact with any of the prosecution witnesses and must report to the investigation officer when required. He must also be electronically tagged. The prosecution said he should be monitored with an electronic tag because of the serious charges he is facing, and noted that he could be a flight risk. In response, Syafie said: “I don’t think it’s necessary to put an e-tag on me as all my documents, my passport, have been seized by the police. I’m on bail and am already present today and will be present for all the court matters. “But it is up to the court to make the decision.” Syafie arrived at the State Courts at around 8.30am with his arm in a sling. He was escorted by the police and Aetos officers. His case began at around 10am. He was expressionless as he stood before the judge. When the judge asked him if he wished to say anything, Syafie said he would be engaging a lawyer. Reporters understands that Syafie was driving a black Saab, which was seen in dashcam footage posted on social media. According to charge sheets, Syafie allegedly failed to stop at the red traffic light, which resulted in his car colliding with two cars before surging forward to crash into another car. Meanwhile, the first car Syafie crashed into spun before overturning, and this caused it to collide with a van. The van then collided with a minibus. The impacts allegedly caused the deaths of Madam Norzihan Juwahib, 58, and Afifah Munirah Muhammad Azril, 17. Charge sheets also stated that Syafie’s driving allegedly injured Ms Lee Yau Meng, 42; Mr Weng Haifeng, 42; Mr Chia Tong Chai, 64; and Mr Mohammad Azman Mohd Enjah, 39. Two 11-year-old boys were also injured in the accident. Those convicted of dangerous driving causing death can be jailed between two and eight years and be disqualified from driving. The offence of dangerous driving causing hurt carries a penalty of up to two years’ jail, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. On Syafie’s dangerous-driving charge, court documents stated that he drove his car recklessly by making an abrupt lane change from lane two to lane one of a two-lane road to overtake another car. He also filtered back “acutely” into lane two in front of the other car, resulting in a side-swipe collision, causing the car to veer to the left and its left tyres to graze the kerb. He then allegedly failed to stop after this, despite being required to do so after an accident. A bail review for Syafie was scheduled for April 26, while a pre-trial conference will take place on June 7. He was arrested on April 24 after being discharged from hospital. His driving licence was suspended with immediate effect. The police said investigations are ongoing for other potential offences. The crash involving four cars, a van and a minibus occurred on April 22 at the junction of Tampines Avenue 1 and Tampines Avenue 4. Madam Norzihan and Afifah, who died after the accident, were both buried at Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery on April 23. Madam Norzihan was a passenger in the van, on her way to work, when the accident occurred. The right side of the vehicle was badly dented. She was a senior technician at pest control firm First Choice Pest Specialist and had worked there for about 10 years. Afifah, a first-year student at Temasek Junior College, was a passenger in a car, on the way to take part in her school’s annual cross-country event. Her father, Mr Muhammad Azril, a Police Coast Guard officer, was driving their car when the impact from the collision caused it to turn turtle with its doors flung open. He was taken to hospital with kidney- and spine-related injuries. Five other people, including two 11-year-old boys, were also taken to hospital. The offence of dangerous driving carries a jail term of up to a year, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. For failing to stop after an accident, an offender can be fined up to $1,000, jailed up to three months, or both. A 57-year-old woman was one of two persons killed in a six-vehicle accident at 7:07am on the morning of Apr. 22.
Norzihan Juwahib, an employee at a pest control company, was a passenger in a van when tragedy struck. Over 10 loved ones went to the mortuary on the morning of Apr. 23 to pay their respects to Norzihan. She was the eldest of six siblings, single-handedly looking after their 78-year-old mother in her old age. "Although she's quiet, she loves her family very much and has many friends," her younger brother told reporters. "She was on her way to work when the accident happened. It was completely unexpected." Just purchased her own home It had only been three months since Norzihan fulfilled her lifelong dream of buying her own home, a two-room flat in Sengkang. She had previously rented a home for many years. In celebration of her achievement, Norzihan hosted a housewarming party for her relatives and friends during Hari Raya. "The house was a dream she realised through frugality and hard work," her brother said. After the accident, a colleague contacted him, and the family rushed down to the hospital together. But it was too late. "When we arrived, the doctor only said that he had tried his best." "My sister couldn't leave any last words at all." Third death in the family Norzihan's death is the third in their family in the past year, following the passing of their father and another sister. However, "we can only accept it," her brother said. While the family believes that everything is destined, they intend to pursue justice for their sister. As the family grieves, their elderly mother — who Norzihan had been caring for — has been left devastated at the loss of her daughter, reported 8World. "My mother has been really strong," her brother said. "There are really no words to describe the grief of losing three family members in one year." A 36-year-old man was arrested by the Singapore Police Force on Apr. 22 after he allegedly approached a woman with a request to draw a smiley face on her feet using a marker "as part of a dare".
He also supposedly asked to take photos of his drawing on her afterwards, said the police in an Apr. 24 news release. When the victim lodged a police report on Apr. 18 at around 4:20pm, she also alleged that the man "had touched her feet while taking photos of her feet". No further details were provided about the interaction that allegedly occurred. Man to be charged with outrage of modesty Through follow-up investigations, officers from the Ang Mo Kio police division established the identity of the man and arrested him along Mayflower Road. A marker, a mobile phone, and two storage devices were seized as case exhibits. The man will be charged in court on Apr. 24 with the offence of outrage of modesty. If convicted, the accused could have been jailed for up to three years, fined, caned, or receive any combination of the punishments above. Report matter to police immediately The police also urged members of the public to remain vigilant towards sexual offenders. Should they witness an incident of molestation or are aware of someone being a victim of molestation, they are encouraged to report the matter to the police immediately. "The police have zero tolerance towards sexual offenders who threaten the safety of the community and will spare no effort in ensuring that offenders are swiftly apprehended and dealt with sternly in accordance with the law," added the police. S$1,362 pair of Nike sneakers link S'porean man, 43, to body of S'porean woman, 39, in Spain4/24/2024 Spanish authorities are building their case against Mitchell Ong, 43, the Singaporean man suspected to have been involved in the killing of fellow Singaporean Audrey Fang, 39, in Spain.
Unique footwear One piece of crucial evidence linking Ong to Fang's body is a S$1,362 pair of limited edition, European size 48.5 Nike sneakers. It is an exclusive pair of sneakers that retails on luxury clothing website Farfetch and its size is consistent with someone of Ong's 1.88m height. The soles of the shoes apparently matched footprints seen at the location in Abanilla where Fang's body was found. Spanish media outlet La Verdad de Murcia reported that investigations have focused on a €935 (S$1,362) pair of shoes recovered from Ong's hotel room in Alicante. He was arrested there. He was reportedly due to meet his Ukrainian girlfriend at the same hotel the following day. Ong got married in 2012, has a daughter, lives in a Bukit Timah condominium and owned several businesses in Singapore, it was previously reported. Soil sample sent for analysis A sample of the soil lodged in the soles of Ong's shoes were sent for laboratory analysis to find out if it matches the soil found on Fang's body, as well as with the sandstone found in the Abanilla area, reported La Verdad de Murcia. The Spanish news outlet reported on these details derived from court documents. Ong seen wearing different clothing On Apr. 9 when Fang was last seen, surveillance footage at the hotel where Ong was staying showed him leaving in a hoodie and black pants, at around 5:45pm. A judge overseeing this case noted that Ong was wearing different clothing when he returned a few hours later. He returned to the hotel at around 2:06am on Apr. 10, wearing jeans and a blue sweater. Ong and Fang had known each other for many years, it was previously reported. Ong and Fang were together based on phone records Reporters reported that Ong and Fang's mobile phones were together in Abanilla on the day she died, based on what Spanish police can prove from data provided by mobile phone operators, citing Spanish newspaper Levante El Mercantil Valenciano. Fang was not sexually assaulted, it was reported. Flight risk Ong is considered to be a flight risk, as the Singaporean man has no roots in Spain and can leave the country any time as he has "sufficient economic capacity”. The judge pointed out that cash in the form of €3,760 (S$5,474) and S$1,000 was found in the hotel room and seized. Levante El Mercantil Valenciano also reported that Fang had reportedly transferred money to an unidentified third person, so there could have been an "economic motive" for the killing. Sources also told La Verdad that Fang had participated in a type of investment fund. On Apr. 9, Fang left her belongings in her hotel and was never heard from again. She was travelling alone in Spain at that time. A preliminary autopsy report found that Fang's cause of death were knife wounds and head trauma, reported La Verdad. A man who shared the video clip of the white Mercedes' point of view of the black Saab moments before the Tampines accident has filed a police report.
This was due to the harassment and false accusations he faced on Facebook. Anthony Soon Han Tiong also posted on Facebook to clarify that he was not the driver or owner of the white Mercedes. "I was not in any way involved in this accident and do not know the circumstances of it," he wrote. Soon added that the video was shared with him, and said he had the traffic police's permission to share the dashcam footage. Posted on behalf of the driver In his police report, Soon stated that he works in a car workshop that is an authorised insurance reporting centre. The owner of the white Mercedes came to Soon's place of work on Apr. 22 at 9:30 am to report a hit-and-run accident that happened at Bedok Reservoir Road. The owner then asked Soon to help share his dashcam footage of the accident on his Facebook, as the owner had no access to Facebook. In the video, the black Saab was seen trying to overtake the white Mercedes along Bedok Reservoir Road. As the black Saab overtook, it sideswiped the white Mercedes and narrowly missed hitting a motorcyclist to its right. The black Saab then sped up and drove through the junction, hitting multiple vehicles. Two people died following the accident. The video has since been deleted. Facing harassment Soon said that after sharing the video online, many users accused him of being the driver and owner of the Mercedes, leading to them sharing his Facebook profile pictures of his family and his daughter. He said Facebook users also cursed his daughter and harassed him by sending messages. Others also called him, as online users had shared his contact number and home address on Facebook and social media. He wrote: "I will like to clarify that I am not the said driver or owner of the vehicle number SNH7Z. I was not in any way involved in this traffic accident and do not know the circumstances of it. The video was shared with me and I had the traffic police permission to share it..." The Singapore Police Force confirmed to reporters that the police report has been lodged. Ariffin Iskandar Sha Ali Akbar, the 26-year-old founder of Wake Up Singapore (WUSG), has been charged with criminal defamation.
The Singaporean had been involved in the publication of a since-removed 2022 article in which a woman claimed she had a miscarriage at KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH). The woman accused the hospital staff of displaying a lack of professionalism and dumping out her dead foetus with the medical waste. She later admitted that she lied. Ariffin arrived at court on the morning of Apr. 24 with his lawyer, Gino Hardial Singh from Abbots Chambers LLC. His lawyer requested time to take instructions and make representations, and the case was adjourned till May 24. If found guilty of criminal defamation, he could be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both. The claim The first-person account was published on WUSG on Mar. 23, 2022. In the post, the expectant mother alleged that she was made to wait for four hours after arriving at the hospital, and that she suffered a miscarriage while waiting. She also alleged that when she asked if she could have the foetus returned to her for a proper burial, she was told it had been dumped out together with the medical waste. KKH later released a statement saying that the online report was "incorrect". On Mar. 25, 2022, WUSG published an apology, adding that they had received doctored medical documents from the woman. On Mar. 27, 2022, the Ministry of Health instructed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) Office to issue a correction direction to WUSG. In response to reporters queries on Apr. 23, Ariffin apologised again and said it was "a genuine mistake". Investigations revealed that he had been the administrator for WUSG’s website, Facebook page, and Instagram page. "We take full responsibility for the incident and we have since put in place measures to ensure that such an event does not reoccur." |
JUSTCLICK & CONNECT
|