Foreigner, S’porean fiancee charged with conspiring to breach stay-home notice at Ritz-Carlton hotel

SINGAPORE — A 52-year-old man and his fiancee were charged on Friday (Jan 15) with conspiring to breach his stay-home notice by staying in the same room at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore hotel.

Nigel Skea, a Briton, faces six charges under Singapore’s Covid-19 laws, while his Singaporean fiancee Agatha Maghesh Eyamalai, 39, faces one charge.

Skea was handed a stay-home order to curb the spread of Covid-19 from Sept 20 to Oct 4 last year, after he arrived from London in the United Kingdom. 

He stayed in a room on the 14th floor of the upscale hotel by Marina Bay, court documents showed.

Eyamalai allegedly booked a room on the 27th storey and met Skea on that floor around 2.30am on Sept 21. She also opened the emergency exit door for him and allowed him to stay over in her room until about 11.45am that day.

Skea is accused of exiting his room and loitering outside it around 1am that same day, before leaving again at about 2am and taking the stairs to Eyamalai’s room around 2.30am.

He did not wear a face mask on all three occasions. 

Court documents did not disclose how the authorities discovered their alleged acts.

The couple told the court on Friday that they intended to plead guilty. 

They will return to court on Feb 3. 

For each charge of flouting Covid-19 laws, they could each be jailed up to six months or fined up to S$10,000, or both.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a statement on Friday that foreigners could face “further administrative actions” from ICA or the Ministry of Manpower, or both. These include having their permits and passes to remain or work in Singapore revoked or shortened.

SECURITY GUARD CHARGED WITH BREACHING STAY-HOME ORDER

Separately, a 71-year-old security guard was charged on Friday with violating his stay-home notice.

Abdul Rahman Mohamed Hanafiah returned from Batam, Indonesia on March 17 last year and was ordered to stay home until March 31. 

Instead of going back to his flat along Bedok North Road, he took a bus and wandered around Geylang Serai before spending the night at a Bedok housing estate, ICA said.

Court documents stated that he visited Geylang Serai, Haig Road, Joo Chiat Complex mall and a neighbourhood police post at Block 35 Chai Chee Avenue.

He also returned to work from March 18 to 24 last year without telling his company or manager about his stay-home notice, ICA added.

He will return to court on Feb 3.