SINGAPORE: A man was charged on Monday (May 17) with knowingly transmitting a false message to a researcher from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) that he could not attend a “session” as he had COVID-19 and was quarantined in hospital.
Paul Chan Kin Nang, 40, was given one charge of transmitting a false message under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act to NTU researcher Lau Zen Juen.
The charge sheet states that Chan sent an email to Ms Lau at 12.47pm on Sep 6, 2020, stating: “Hi, I am unable to attend the session tomorrow as I am tested positive for Covid19 and is now quarantine in hospital.”
Chan allegedly knew this to be false, as he had not tested positive for COVID-19, the document continued.
Court documents at the early charging stage did not elaborate on what “session” Chan was supposed to attend, or how the allegations came to light.
According to online research websites, the researcher he allegedly lied to is studying the cognitive neuroscience of deception.
The email address that he allegedly sent the false message to was listed in a Facebook post aimed at NTU Psychology Majors in July 2020, calling for volunteers to participate in a decision-making study using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The offence Chan was charged with is relatively new – it was added to the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act in January last year.
The last reported case on such an offence was for Kenneth Lai Yong Hui, a taxi driver who was jailed four months in May 2020 for posting a fake message on Facebook about supposed food outlet closures and urging panic buying.
If convicted of the offence, Chan can be jailed up to three years, fined up to S$10,000, or both.
CNA has contacted NTU for more information.
