Man spits at ICA officer after being denied entry to S’pore, jailed 8 weeks

Man spits at ICA officer while being detained for deportation at Changi Airport Terminal 4

A 38-year-old man from China has been sentenced to eight weeks in jail after he spat in the face of an Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer at Changi Airport when being denied entry into Singapore.

The incident took place on 16 Aug at Changi Airport Terminal 4, while the man was being detained for deportation.

Man denied entry to Singapore, spits in retaliation

According to Lianhe Zaobao, the man was escorted to an airport lounge to await deportation after ICA officers denied his entry into Singapore. The reason for the refusal was not disclosed.

However, he refused to cooperate with officers, shouting in defiance as they tried to restrain him. At around 11am, four officers escorted him out of the lounge in a wheelchair to prepare for deportation.

During the process, the man attempted to get out of the wheelchair. When an officer tried to hold him down, he suddenly turned and spat directly into the officer’s face.

Man pleads guilty in court

The man was immediately arrested following the incident and remained in custody until his court hearing last Thursday (4 Sept).

In court, the prosecution argued that his actions were not only humiliating for the officer but also showed blatant disrespect to Singapore’s public institutions.

Appearing via video link with the help of an interpreter, the man pleaded guilty to one charge of assaulting a public servant and another charge under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act. He was unrepresented by a lawyer.

Acknowledging his mistakes, he told the court he hoped the case could be settled quickly so he could return home.

The court sentenced him to eight weeks’ jail.

Also read: 2 S’poreans arrested for allegedly trying to leave M’sia illegally after entering without stamping passports