4 charged with breaching Covid-19 rules during impromptu New Year countdown at Clarke Quay

SINGAPORE — Four people were charged on Tuesday (Jan 25) for breaching multiple Covid-19 regulations relating to an impromptu New Year’s Eve gathering at Clarke Quay, with the prosecution seeking to press more charges against two of them.

The four, aged between 19 and 22, are: Verma Pulkit, Harjaz Singh, Kotra Venkata Sai Rohankrishna and Brooks-Potts William Alexander.

The prosecution for Urban Redevelopment Agency (URA) also sought an adjournment of two weeks to file one more charge each against Pulkit and Singh.

On Tuesday, all four were charged for flouting safety measures under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.

They were given one charge each of failing to wear a mask over their nose and mouth, and one each for not keeping a one-metre safe distance from other people in a public space.

Kotra, who was represented by Ms Lim Shu Yi of Parwani Law LLC, was handed an extra charge of attending a gathering with other people for a common purpose outside his place of residence. 

Court documents stated that Kotra, while wearing a Spider-Man costume, went for a gathering with three other people and interacted with about 20 others while taking videos and photographs.

The three other individuals were not represented.

The judge adjourned the case for two weeks to Feb 8.

Each charge of violating the Covid-19 regulations carries a fine of up to S$10,000 or a jail term of up to six months, or both. 

A day before, URA said that four people were fined in relation to the same New Year’s Eve event, which was captured on camera and went viral on social media. They have been served notices of composition of S$1,000 each for flouting Covid-19 regulations.

“Further investigations into other individuals are ongoing, and enforcement action will be taken against them if they are found to have breached any safe management measures, which are put in place to protect the public,” URA said.

Over the New Year's Eve weekend, videos circulated on social media showed large crowds counting down to the new year in Clarke Quay, with many appearing to have their masks pulled down.

In a statement on Jan 2, the Government’s Covid-19 task force said that the authorities were looking into the gathering at Clarke Quay, which "involved some blatant breaches of safe management rules and is a potential superspreading event".