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Thomas Chua, netizen who gloated about TP officer’s death, charged with theft

SINGAPORE — A 38-year-old man, who drew criticisms for his Facebook post that seemingly gloated about the death of a Traffic Police officer, was charged with theft on Monday (June 5).

Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam had criticised Thomas Chua in a Facebook post on Saturday (June 3)

Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam had criticised Thomas Chua in a Facebook post on Saturday (June 3)

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SINGAPORE — A 38-year-old man, who drew criticisms for his Facebook post that seemingly gloated about the death of a Traffic Police officer, was charged with theft on Monday (June 5).

Thomas Chua Poh Heng was charged with one count of stealing a 100ml bottle of Must de Cartier perfume, worth S$98, from Mustafa Centre on Sunday morning.

Chua, who was wearing a blue shirt and black spectacles, was expressionless when the charges were read to him. He was unrepresented.

The court ordered that Chua be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for two weeks for psychiatric assessment. He will return to court on June 19.

The police said earlier that Chua, who is a part-time deliveryman, is also under investigation for three other complaints lodged against him since January. 

TODAY understands that these complaints relate to theft, criminal intimidation and the failure to report a change of address. These cases were said to have happened between January and May this year.

In a press release issued after midnight on Sunday relating to Chua’s current charge, the police said the shopping centre’s in-house security officers had detained him outside the store with an unpaid item on Sunday morning. Staff from the mall called the police, who arrested Chua.

Chua drew flak over the weekend for a Facebook post — since taken down — about Staff Sergeant Nadzrie Matin, who was killed in the line of duty after an accident involving a van along Serangoon Road last Thursday.

His remarks were also criticised by Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, who posted screen captures of Chua’s Facebook profile page and post on Saturday. The minister wrote: “People like Thomas are sick in the head. No decency or any sense of right and wrong.

“You wonder what human decency people like Thomas have — to be so self-centred, smug and making nasty remarks about an officer who died doing his duty. While there is a completely distraught wife, grieving parents and family, and teammates who are crying.”

A police spokesperson said the authorities “will remain professional and objective in our dealings with Thomas Chua,” despite his “hurtful and unfair remarks not only to our officers but to (SSG Nadzrie’s) family and friends”.

If convicted of theft in-dwelling, Chua can be jailed up to seven years and fined.

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