SINGAPORE, May 27 — After illegally converting a unit in an industrial building into an entertainment venue, Kenneth Chua Wei Lun went on to breach Covid-19 safe distancing laws by co-hosting two large parties at the unit over two weekends.

Police officers first busted 40 people drinking, smoking and singing in the Midview City building on January 8.

The next week, at the same unit at Sin Ming Lane, they found 13 people there.

On Tuesday (May 25), Chua, 32, was fined S$15,500 (RM48,452) in a district court. Court documents did not state his occupation.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of providing public entertainment without a valid licence or exemption, as well as a third charge of exceeding the maximum allowed group size for social gatherings.

At the time of his offences in January, only eight people were allowed to gather in public for social purposes under Phase 3 of Singapore’s reopening.

District Judge Toh Han Li took into consideration another three charges, including supplying alcohol without a valid liquor licence, in sentencing Chua.

The fine comprised S$8,000 for the Covid-19 rules breach, believed to be one of the heaviest for an individual, and S$3,500 and S$4,000 for the public entertainment violations.

The court heard that Chua and another man, Joel Ang Yun Nan, had decided in December last year to host parties at the industrial space. The unit was rented by Music Production Studio, of which Ang was an authorised representative.

Ang was also set to plead guilty on Tuesday but his case was adjourned as he faces more charges.

The duo jointly decided on what sound equipment and furniture to buy for the unit, and agreed to split the profits from selling liquor there. Chua funded the venture while Ang took charge of its daily operations.

Told guests the party would involve ‘a lot of people’

On January 8 this year, the building’s security team told their operations manager about music playing and people entering and exiting the unit.

The manager called the police after he checked the unit around midnight and noticed it was locked but found people waiting around the unit. 

Ang held a birthday party that night and told everyone that the party would involve "a lot of people”, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Yeow Xuan told the court.

Guests were also served alcohol past 10.30pm — establishments that hold liquor licences are not allowed to serve alcohol past then. Neither Chua, Ang nor Music Production Studio had a liquor licence even. 

Around 3.10am, police officers searched the unit and arrested 40 people aged between 17 and 32, including Chua and Ang. Chua had been there for close to five hours.

DPP Yeow said that Chua had specifically failed to implement any SafeEntry checks or temperature screenings, and was not aware of who some of the guests were.

Aside from Chua, a 20-year-old woman who attended the party was fined S$2,000. The others have been charged in court and their cases are pending.

On January 17, police officers were again alerted to another gathering at the unit. 

This time, a group of seven men and six women — aged between 19 and 36 — were found drinking there at around 4am, with loud music playing over the speakers. Ang was among them.

Court documents showed that it was not Chua’s first Covid-19 violation. On April 11 last year, during the circuit breaker period that restricted movements and activities, he met three others not from his household to chat in a Boon Lay flat.

Those convicted of breaking Covid-19 laws can be jailed for up to six months or fined up to S$10,000, or both.

Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to a year or fined up to S$20,000, or both.

For providing public entertainment without a licence, he could have been fined up to S$20,000. ― TODAY