Bi-national couple charged with breaching SHN at Ritz-Carlton

Singapore—A British-Singaporean couple are facing charges for offences pertaining to Stay-Home Notice (SHN) requirements, having flouted an SHN at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore Hotel last September.

The couple, British national Nigel Skea, 52, and his fiancée, Singaporean Agatha Maghesh Eyamalai, 39, were charged in court on Friday (Jan 15).

He was caught leaving his room in order to join her since she was also staying at the same Marina Bay Sands hotel.

Under the country’s laws, Mr Skea is facing six charges, while Ms Eyamalai is facing one charge for abetting his breach of the SHN requirement.

It is unknown how their breach of SHN rules was found out.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) issued a statement on Friday regarding the couple’s case, as well as that of another Singaporean charged with breaching SHN requirements.

The British national flew to Singapore and needed to serve his SHN from Sept 20 to Oct 4, 2020 in a room on the fourteenth floor of the hotel.

Ms Eyamalai, who did not need to quarantine, reportedly booked a room at the hotel at the same time, but on the 27th floor.

The couple met in the early morning hours of Sept 21 on the 27th floor. Ms Eyamalai let her fiancé onto the floor through an exit emergency door, and Mr Skea stayed with her in her room until shortly before noon on that day.

The British national is charged with leaving his room and loitering around its vicinity at about 1.00am, and then going up the stairs to his fiancée’s room.

The ICA’s statement says that Mr Skea “left his room without wearing a mask on three occasions on 21 September 2020 in breach of the prescribed requirements.

On the last occasion, the male subject was with his Singaporean fiancée, who was not subjected to an SHN, but had booked a different room in the same hotel.” 

Mr Skea and Ms Eyamalai told the court they are planning to plead guilty to the charges, and will return on Feb 3 for sentencing.

They face as much as six months’ jail time or a fine of as much as S$10,000, or both, for every charge of breaking Covid-19 laws.

According to the ICA, “Foreigners may face further administrative actions by ICA and/or MOM, such as revoking, or shortening the validity of permits and passes to remain/work in Singapore.”

The other person who had breached an SHN last year is a Singaporean security officer who had returned from Batam on March 17 of last year. He did not go directly to the venue for his SHN, but went around Geylang Serai and spent the night at Bedok.

He also returned to work from March 18 to 24 and neglected to tell his company that he was under SHN. Not only did he work, but he also visited various other places as well.

/TISG

Read also: Woman charged with breaching Stay-Home Notice to get bubble tea

Woman charged with breaching Stay-Home Notice to get bubble tea