S$2,000 fine for man caught having sex with masseuse during Phase 1 of reopening

SINGAPORE — About two weeks after the partial lockdown for Covid-19 was lifted last June, Ma Changjin left his home to get a massage and sexual services.

In the end, the married man was caught redhanded when police officers checked the massage outlet and found him and the masseuse having sex.

The 51-year-old Chinese national was fined S$2,000 on Tuesday (March 9), after pleading guilty to meeting another person in public not from his household.

Two other similar charges under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, including failing to wear a face mask, were taken into consideration for sentencing. 

At the time of Ma’s offence last year, during the first phase of the country’s reopening, no one was allowed to meet in public without a valid reason if they were not from the same household.

As part of the strict regulations in place then to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, dining in at eateries was not allowed and sports, recreation and outdoor facilities remained closed.

The court heard that on June 13, Ma made an appointment to visit Zhang Shaohui, a 52-year-old Singapore permanent resident, at a massage parlour in People’s Park Centre.

He wanted to have a “massage and sexual intercourse for an undisclosed sum”, Deputy Public Prosecutor Jason Chua said.

When Ma arrived at the outlet, the duo chatted for a while before Zhang rubbed his belly with massage oil. They proceeded to have sex for about 15 minutes while not wearing face masks.

Several police officers then came across them while conducting an inspection.

DPP Chua asked for the fine imposed, while Ma’s lawyer Arthur Quay said that Ma is supporting a family back in China and has learned his lesson.

Mr Quay also noted that Ma had been in Singapore for more than 10 years and remained crime-free till then.

For breaking Covid-19 laws, he could have been jailed up to six months or fined up to S$10,000, or penalised with both.

Zhang has also been charged and she will return to court next month.