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SINGAPORE – A $ 9,000 fine was imposed on a company manager on Thursday (September 17) for unfairly confining three foreign workers in a room for about 40 days during May and June amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
The workers were confined first from May 12 to 15, and then for a period of five weeks, from May 19 to June 26.
Shaun Pang Tong Heng had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of wrongful confinement. The foreign workers are Indian nationals Ganesan Pandi, Pandiyan Jakakanthan and Muthuraj Thangaraj.
During the sentencing, three other similar charges related to the same men were considered.
The court heard that Mr. Md Noor E Adenaan, who represented the 41-year-old Singaporean, told District Judge Prem Raj that his client is sorry.
Pang saw the men as “troublemakers”.
The lawyer said that during the outbreak, Pandiyan and Ganesan had left their place of residence in Tuas to buy alcohol despite being housed near a group of Covid-19.
Mr. Md Noor added that Mr. Pandiyan also drove a company truck although he was not licensed to do so. As for Mr. Muthuraj, the lawyer said that he was previously caught for driving under the influence of alcohol.
The court heard that the room the trio was confined in had clean beds, a bathroom and Wi-Fi connection.
They also gave them food and plenty of water.
But Assistant District Attorney Eric Hu said it was no excuse for Pang to take matters into his own hands.
Before passing the sentence, the judge said that Pang should have notified the police about the workers.
For each count of wrongful confinement, an offender can be imprisoned for up to three years and fined.
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