SINGAPORE – American commercial pilot Brian Dugan Yeargan was one of three people charged in court on Tuesday (April 21) with breaching their stay-home notice (SHN) and stay order in separate incidents.

The two others are Singaporeans Chong Chun Wah, 47, and Siti Wan Su’Aidah Samsuri, 25.

Yeargan is accused of an offence under the Infectious Diseases (Covid-19 Stay Orders) Regulations 2020.

The 44-year-old had arrived here from Australia on April 3 and was issued with a 30-day short-term visit pass.

He was also served with a stay order and was not supposed to go out from his arrival date until April 17.

Despite this, he allegedly left his room at the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport hotel on April 5 and took an MRT train to City Hall station.

He is said to have then walked to Chinatown Point shopping centre to buy some personal items, spending about three hours in total outside.

Chong had arrived in Singapore from Indonesia on March 17 and was served with an SHN, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a statement on Monday.

Although he was to remain in his Bukit Batok flat from then until March 31, he allegedly left it on three occasions.

Chong is said to have taken a bus to Jurong East on March 24 to buy some food, spending up to 90 minutes outside.

Four days later, he allegedly left his home for about five minutes to check his letterbox at the ground floor of his block. The next day, he allegedly went to a nearby coffee shop, spending up to 45 minutes outside.

Chong was on Monday handed two charges under the Infectious Diseases (Covid-19 – Stay Orders) Regulations 2020 and a charge under the Infectious Diseases Act.

Siti, who has one charge each under the Infectious Diseases (Covid-19 – Stay Orders) Regulations 2020 and the Infectious Diseases (Measures to Prevent Spread of Covid-19) Regulations 2020, had arrived in Singapore from Australia on March 25.

Her SHN stated that she had to remain indoors until April 8.

But on March 30, she allegedly left her Woodlands home and walked to Vista Point shopping mall to buy cigarettes and some groceries.

In its statement, ICA said: “During this period, she failed to respond to multiple calls made to her mobile phone by ICA as part of enforcement checks. She spent approximately 15 to 20 minutes outside.”

On Tuesday, the two men indicated that they intend to plead guilty. They were each offered $5,000 bail.

Yeargan will be back in court on Thursday, while Chong’s case has been adjourned until May 8.

Siti said that she would try to engage a lawyer and was offered $5,000 bail as well.  Her case has also been adjourned to May 8.

Those convicted of an offence under the Infectious Diseases Act and its regulations can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000 for each charge.

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