Man fined S$400 for defecating at Marina Bay Sands entrance
On Thursday (19 Sept), a court handed down a S$400 fine to Indian national Ramu Chinnarasa for defecating at the entrance of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) on 30 Oct 2023.
The 37-year-old construction worker pleaded guilty to a charge under the Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) Regulations.
Ramu gained notoriety last October when images of him defecating outside MBS went viral.
Many were baffled as to why he chose to relieve himself in public rather than using the nearby restrooms in the upscale mall.
According to Today, Ramu had consumed three bottles of hard liquor and was gambling at the MBS casino before the incident.
After leaving the casino around 5am, he was too intoxicated to find a toilet.
At approximately 7.01am, he pulled down his pants, squatted, and defecated in full view at the mall entrance.
He then rested on a stone bench outside MBS until around 11am, before heading back to his dormitory in Kranji.
Left Singapore the day after the incident
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Adelle Tai revealed that a security officer at MBS saw the viral video of Ramu’s act and made a police report that same day.
However, Ramu had already left Singapore by 31 Oct 2023.
He returned on 4 June this year and attempted to enter the casino again, but was flagged as an “undesirable guest”.
A police report was filed upon his arrival, leading to his arrest.
Prosecutor calls for fine between S$400 to S$500
During the court proceedings, Ramu requested the “lowest fine” possible.
District Judge Christopher Goh Eng Chiang responded:
Do you know how to get the lowest fine? Don’t do this in public.
He warned that any future similar offences would result in a higher fine.
DPP Kiera Yu recommended a fine between S$400 and S$500, noting that Ramu had left his waste exposed for about 10 minutes and did not attempt to clean up or notify any cleaners.
She added that if his offence had not been recorded and discovered by the MBS security team, his waste would have been left exposed in a high-traffic area of the public shopping mall, significantly impacting public cleanliness.
Under the Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) Regulations, individuals found guilty of defecating in a public place that is not designated for such purposes can be fined up to S$1,000 for a first offence.
Additionally, there may be further fines of up to S$100 for each day the offence continues after conviction.
Also read: Police Investigating Man Who Pooped In Full View Of Others At Marina Bay Sands
Police Investigating Man Who Pooped In Full View Of Others At Marina Bay Sands
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Featured image adapted from Andrey X on Canva, for illustration purposes only, and SG Kaypoh 人 on Facebook via MS News.
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