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Covid-19: Man charged with running unlicensed KTV outlet, supplying alcohol to 15 people

SINGAPORE — Against the backdrop of a rise in locally transmitted Covid-19 cases linked to karaoke television (KTV) lounges and clubs, a 31-year-old man was charged on Friday (July 23) with running a KTV outlet without a public entertainment licence.

Lee Bing Qian allegedly played music and supplied cognac and beer at a Kaki Bukit automobile workshop in May 2021.

Lee Bing Qian allegedly played music and supplied cognac and beer at a Kaki Bukit automobile workshop in May 2021.

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SINGAPORE — Against the backdrop of a rise in locally transmitted Covid-19 cases linked to karaoke television (KTV) lounges and clubs, a 31-year-old man was charged on Friday (July 23) with running a KTV outlet without a public entertainment licence.

In May, 15 people allegedly patronised Lee Bing Qian’s outlet in Kaki Bukit, the police said in a statement on Thursday evening.

At the time, the Covid-19 laws stipulated that only five people were allowed to be out in public together.

Licensed pubs, bars, nightclubs, discos and KTV lounges have been barred from operating in their original form since March last year.

Lee, a Singaporean, faces one charge each of flouting Covid-19 infection control measures, illegally providing public entertainment and supplying liquor without a valid licence under the Liquor Control Act.

Based on court documents, he provided recorded music to customers at Empire Technocentre, an automobile workshop in the Kaki Bukit industrial area, on May 7 at 1.30am. 

Lee is also said to have supplied cognac and beer, and failed to ensure the premises were closed.

He said that he intended to plead guilty, and will return to court on Aug 31.

If convicted of breaking Covid-19 rules, he could receive a jail term of up to six months or a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.

Those who supply liquor or provide public entertainment without a valid licence can be fined up to S$20,000.

As of Thursday, there were 221 Covid-19 cases linked to the KTV lounge cluster.

The cluster emerged about two weeks ago and has since been linked to a burgeoning coronavirus cluster at Jurong Fishery Port. 

UNLICENSED MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS

Separately, four women and a man were charged with operating massage establishments without a valid licence between November last year and April this year.

Vice-related activities were detected in some of these cases, the police said.

The man, Lim Boon Chan, 61, is accused of providing massages at Hong Heng Foot Reflexology in Upper Serangoon in December last year without a licence or exemption.

The four women hauled to court were:

  • Yang Fenju, 49. She allegedly failed to prevent her employees from offering sexual services to customers on two occasions in November last year and February this year at UV Spa in Hougang 

  • Cellin Tham Jah Hwee, 42, who allegedly ran He Yong Spa in Serangoon in April this year 

  • Weng Meiling, 58, who is accused of running Healthy Life Enterprise in Upper Serangoon in December last year

  • Li Dongyun, 45, who also purportedly ran Healthy Life Enterprise and DeBeaute Sanctuary, another establishment nearby, in December last year

Those convicted of providing massage services without a licence can be jailed for up to two years or fined up to S$10,000, or receive both penalties. 

Repeat offenders can receive a jail term of up to five years or a fine of up to S$20,000, or both.

Related topics

KTV massage Covid-19 coronavirus court crime breach

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