SINGAPORE — A woman who refused to pay town council fees, claiming that there was "electric-air", "energy" manipulation and "black magic" by the Jurong-Clementi Town Council (JCTC), has failed in her appeals against conviction and sentence.

Sylvia Seow Chwee Gek had been fined S$700 by a district court in October for a charge of failing to pay outstanding conservancy and service charges (CSC) of S$751.75 to JCTC.

The sum was for the period March 2020 to February 2023, including interest for late payment.

The 57-year-old Singaporean woman had contested the charge under the Town Councils Act, saying the town council workers had joined a group of organised criminals and abused the "air-electric" around her.

She argued at trial that the town council had ignored her complaints and letter for more than five years.

She questioned how the town council could ask her for payment when it failed to ensure that its workers did not use "electric-air" to harass and invade her body, the previous judgment stated.

She also turned to other parties — including Tanjong Pagar Town Council, her Member of Parliament, the Singapore Police Force and the Attorney-General — complaining about the town council committing "spiritual injury", unnatural offences and using a "bomoh", or witch doctor.

At trial, Seow showed audio recordings and video footage to the court to support her case, but the judge could not find any discernible voices of conversations in them.

In one example, the judge told Seow that she could not hear voices or see what she was seeing, such as "a guy" under her block.

Screenshots from the video showed no visible human figure.

After being fined by the district court, Seow paid the fine. She also paid a sum of S$842.75 comprising the outstanding amount of CSC and interest to the town council.

However, she appealed against her conviction and sentence, arguing that the district judge had failed to take her reasons for not paying the fees into account.

In his decision on Thursday (March 21), Justice Vincent Hoong said Seow had "ventilated her multiple grievances with the town council".

"Her allegations included but was not limited to the fact that she was harassed by the town council, and that there was 'electric-air' and 'energy' manipulation or 'black magic' by the town council which harmed her and her family," said the judge.

"The appellant had withheld payment of CSC as the town council did not respond to her complaints."

He agreed with the district judge that an offence was clearly made out.

"Any dissatisfaction or grievance towards the town council was separate from the appellant's statutory obligation to make payment of CSC," said Justice Hoong.

He found the fine of S$700 to be just and fair and dismissed the appeals. CNA