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SINGAPORE – A district judge allowed a Chinese national couple accused of withholding information from Covid-19 contact trackers to leave Singapore on Friday (October 9) and return on January 20 of next year.
But Shi Sha, 37, and her husband Hu Jun, 39, still won’t be able to leave after Deputy Prosecutor Timotheus Koh successfully requested a stay of this order, pending a review in the High Court. It was not mentioned when this review will take place.
The couple face a single count of withholding information from a contract tracker about Hu’s whereabouts and activities between January 22 and 29.
Shi also faces three charges related to providing false information to other contact trackers. They have sought trial on these charges.
The Straits Times understands that Shi had a long-term visitation pass and lives in Singapore.
Hu flew out from Wuhan, China, on January 22 to celebrate the Chinese New Year with her.
He was confirmed to be infected with Covid-19 on January 31, he subsequently recovered and was released from the hospital on February 19.
The Health Ministry started contact tracing after Hu’s diagnosis to identify people who may have been exposed to him while he had symptoms.
Shi was identified as a close contact and issued a quarantine order on February 1.
The court had previously heard during their trial that the couple gave different versions of their activities between January 22 and 29 to various contact trackers.
The trial was postponed before the couple returned to court on Friday.
Defense attorney Dhanwant Singh told District Judge Ng Peng Hong that the couple wanted to leave for China immediately and before the trial resumes next year.
The lawyer said Hu works as a financial advisor and added: “He works in this line where he has been in charge of investments ranging from millions of dollars.”
Singh said Hu’s livelihood is now at stake.
As for Shi, the lawyer said that the couple have two children who are in China and that she has been separated from them for months.
DPP Koh opposed the request, emphasizing that the couple has no roots in Singapore.
He told Judge Ng that there are flight risks and that it is “very likely they will not return.”
On Friday, the judge set bail for the couple at $ 80,000 each and granted them permission to leave Singapore.
As part of their conditions, they must provide the full travel itineraries to the Investigating Officer (IO) before departing and provide full details of where they will be staying.
The pair must also stay in contact with the IO.
His pre-trial conference will be held on November 6, while his trial is expected to resume on January 25 of next year.
If convicted, Shi and Hu can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $ 10,000 for each crime.
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