Club owner and 7 others fined for meeting at Arab Street club during circuit breaker

SINGAPORE: During the "circuit breaker", when all social gatherings were prohibited, a club owner invited his business partners and shareholders to his outlet in Arab Street to discuss how to deal with the financial losses from the pandemic.

The police heard music coming from the premises and raided the club to find it in operation, with 13 people drinking, chatting and singing karaoke inside two rooms.

Club Playground owner Teo Guoshun, 34, was fined S$7,500 on Wednesday (Dec 16) for two counts of breaching COVID-19 regulations and a third charge taken into consideration. 

Seven others who were at the club were fined between S$2,800 and S$3,000 for one similar charge, with a second charge taken into consideration. 

They are: Teo's girlfriend Per Li Min, 26; Chinese singer Zhang Min, 28; Per's friend, Veronica Ong Xue Yu, 21; club investor Whenn Tan, 25;  club stage manager James Teng Chung Choon, 46; club shareholder Ang Kok Siang, 32; and project manager Terence Chong Kaichen, 29.

READ: 10 people charged with going to a club during 'circuit breaker' for business, social gathering

The court heard that police were checking for breaches of safe-distancing measures when they heard music coming from Club Playground at 122 Arab Street in the early hours of May 30.

As the shutters of the club were secured, the police entered via the back door and saw the club operating, with "many people within the premises".

Two of the rooms were occupied, with 13 people seen drinking, chatting and singing karaoke, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Goh Yi Ling.

Among those present were shareholders and business partners who met to discuss how to deal with the club's losses incurred during the circuit breaker period.  No social gatherings were allowed this time to curb the spread of COVID-19 and people could only go out for errands or work deemed essential.

Teo had arranged for the meeting, which went on for nearly three hours until the police arrived. Some of the attendees were potential investors who wanted to find out more about the business.

The prosecutor asked for a fine of S$3,000 for the accused except Teo, whom she said should be given a higher fine of S$8,000 as he was the one who organised the meeting.

Teo had invited most of the guests and stayed at the club for the longest - from about 8pm - and a higher fine should be imposed, said Ms Goh. He also allowed the guests to enter the premises for the meeting and to drink and sing.

THEIR MITIGATION PLEAS

None of the accused had a lawyer. In mitigation, Teo, along with most of his co-accused, asked to be allowed to pay the fine in instalments, citing "hard times".

"From this whole COVID ... (as) the club owner, we really got the biggest impact. Until now everybody behind (in court) - we all lose money. We are not having any good income," he said.

Zhang received the lowest fine of S$2,800, after telling the judge that she had a traffic accident in November 2018 and her "processing power is a bit slow".

"I had an operation on my head. I just follow what other people told me and I had difficulties processing complicated information," she said through a Mandarin interpreter.

She added that she was "ignorant" and had no television set at home.

"My neighbours told me that the circuit breaker (had) ended and I had seen hawkers in the street. It was my mistake for not verifying the facts," she said, adding that she knew the law in Singapore is "very strict" and said she has not committed any offence in the past six years.

The judge allowed Zhang her request for instalments, but told her that it was not for him to decide if she could stay in Singapore. If she is not allowed to do so, another hearing will be held on the payment of the fines.

Tan asked for leniency, saying it was his first time in court. He said he had invested in the club early this year in what was his first investment and has not been making any money out of it.

Teng, the oldest of the group, also asked to pay in instalments, saying that he has been using his savings and Government support for 11 months this year and he just got a new job.

Chong asked for leniency, saying he was very remorseful after being caught and has not breached any COVID-19 law to date. 

The cases for the remaining co-accused are pending. Breaching a COVID-19 law draws penalties of up to six months' jail, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both for first-time offenders.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram