5 days' jail for man who helped unvaccinated friend enter Sentosa bar using his TraceTogether app

SINGAPORE — A 37-year-old man was jailed for five days on Friday (Feb 25) for helping his unvaccinated friend circumvent Covid-19 rules in order to enter a bar, by letting him use his TraceTogether mobile application.

Kiran Singh Rughbir Singh, a Malaysian who worked as a store manager, pleaded guilty in a district court earlier this month to one count of cheating by personation.

Under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) regulations, food-and-beverage establishments, as well as retail liquor businesses, are permitted to allow only fully vaccinated individuals to eat or drink on their premises.

The court heard that Kiran and his girlfriend met his friend — Utheyakumar Nallathamby, a 65-year-old retiree — on the afternoon of Sept 9 last year and went for drinks on Sentosa Island.

The trio first went to Coastes Bar there but left when they saw that it was crowded. When they went to Bikini Bar, Kiran was able to get in by showing his vaccination status in the app to an employee at the entrance.

When Utheyakumar tried to follow suit, the assistant manager denied him entry due to his unvaccinated status. The group then decided to leave.

Kiran suggested that they return to Coastes Bar and that Utheyakumar could get in using Kiran’s TraceTogether app and vaccination status.

Utheyakumar agreed and took Kiran’s phone, then proceeded to Coastes Bar with Kiran’s girlfriend while Kiran waited outside.

The older man managed to get into the bar by tapping Kiran’s phone with the TraceTogether app open against the SafeEntry Gateway device. He also verbally confirmed that his vaccination status was correct.

While the pair were drinking at a table, the assistant manager from Bikini Bar spotted Utheyakumar and recognised him from having earlier denied him entry.

She alerted Coastes Bar’s managers, who immediately checked Utheyakumar’s phone and realised it was Kiran’s.

A compliance manager for Sentosa Development Corporation then lodged a police report one week later. Following investigations, Kiran and Utheyakumar were arrested on Dec 13 last year.

Utheyakumar has also been charged and his case is pending.

Those convicted of cheating by personation can be fined or jailed for up to five years, or punished with both.