A self-proclaimed sovereign individual had disrupted a prior trial and ignored numerous orders to report to the police station and court. Additionally, she resisted arrest and spat at two police officers.
A judge has sentenced a Singaporean citizen who spat at police to eight weeks’ jail and a $4,200 fine.
Tarchandi Tan, representing herself in court, maintained her innocence. Judge Kow Keng Siong sentenced her for the five charges on Tuesday (25 July).
Tarchandi Tan, previously known as Lee Hui Yin, came in trouble with the law during the trial of fellow self-proclaimed sovereign citizen Benjamin Glynn in Aug 2021.
Glynn, a British anti-masker, had broken Singapore’s Covid-19 laws. After a trial, he was jailed for six weeks and deported from the country.
Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
During Glynn’s trial, Tan interrupted proceedings by yelling insults such as “I do not respect the judge” and calling the trial a “ridiculous kangaroo court”.
In Aug 2022, police officers ordered the now 53-year-old Tan to report to the police station on multiple occasions. Tan returned the notices to the police and ignored them.
Four police officers arrested Tan at her house in Bukit Batok, following her failure to obey the order.
When she resisted arrest, two female officers physically carried her to the police car. While in the car, Tan continued to struggle. She then spat on the faces of two officers seated beside her.
Following a trial on 18 July, District Judge Kow convicted her of five charges over her failure to obey police and court orders, as well as for spitting on the officers.
Tan had argued that as a “sovereign individual“, she was not subject to laws she did not consent to.
The sovereign citizen movement, which originated in the United States (US), is a loose group of activists, tax protesters, and conspiracy theorists. They claim to only answer to their interpretations of law, and so courts do not have jurisdiction over them.
Sovereign citizen arguments have never been successful in any court worldwide.
Judge Kow stated that Tan had provided no credible legal argument for why sovereign citizenship is applicable in Singapore. He called the argument “misconceived”.
The court also investigated whether her offences were caused by her schizophrenia. An IMH doctor said that her condition was “not operative” and did not contribute to her offences.
On Tuesday (25 July), the prosecution requested her two additional charges concerning her disruption of the Glynn trial be considered for her sentencing.
Tan appeared to not fully understand the procedure. Judge Kow allowed her to discuss the decision with her partner, who was present in the public gallery.
Following the discussion, Tan maintained her innocence.
For her sentencing for the five charges, Tan continued to claim innocence and accused the officers of arresting without a warrant. She added that “God will have the final judgement”.
The prosecution stated that her words emphasised her complete lack of remorse. They requested three months’ jail and a fine.
Judge Kow sentenced her to eight weeks’ jail and a $4,200 fine.
Upon being informed that she would have a trial in the future for the other two charges, Tan swore in court.
Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reports that Tan said: “How about – so if I just admit to the first two charges, so we don’t have to go through this bullsh*t?”
Judge Kow warned Tan to be careful with her language in court.
Commenters ridiculed Tan and her arguments, noting that nobody is above the law in Singapore.
Source: CNA on Facebook
Others pointed out the hypocrisy of the sovereign citizen argument, by using state resources while claiming laws don’t apply to them, for example.
Source: u/frocodile191 on Reddit
One comment also pointed out that Tan lives in a HDB flat, which is owned by the government.
Source: CNA on Facebook
We hope the sentencing will discourage other ‘sovereign’ citizens from using the pseudo-legal argument in Singapore.
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Featured image by MS News.
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