SINGAPORE, May 20 — A 55-year-old man and a 48-year old woman will be charged in court tomorrow for their suspected involvement in intentionally causing harassment to their neighbours, including a nurse from Sengkang General Hospital (SKH), the police said today.
The nurse, who goes by the Instagram handle @jibby4g, had posted videos on Instagram on March 3 this year of his neighbour throwing soapy water on the ground outside his home and spraying disinfectant at his family.
This was not the first time he had done so. Last year, he had also taken to Instagram to write about how his neighbour was insulting him and his family because of his profession. He had made a police report after the neighbour sprayed disinfectant at his daughter’s face then.
In its statement on Thursday, the police said they first received a report about the harassment on May 15 last year.
“Police investigations commenced upon this initial report. Whilst investigations were ongoing, the police received several additional reports between October 2020 and January 2021 alleging similar harassment by the duo despite all parties involved in the incidents attending mediation at the Community Mediation Centre in June 2020 to seek a resolution to the matter,” the police said.
The police added that the woman will also be charged on Friday for allegedly causing public nuisance in an unrelated incident. When contacted, the police could not provide more details on this incident.
Meanwhile, they are also investigating the woman for additional fresh offences allegedly committed against her neighbours, which were reported in April 2021.
The police said that the alleged acts of harassment by the duo include the use of vulgarities and insulting remarks at their neighbours, spraying disinfectant towards their neighbour’s unit and occupants, as well as splashing water along the shared common corridor.
The nurse said last year that he had been enduring taunts and verbal abuse from his neighbour. He had also written that even his parents, who had come to his house to pick up his children, had been on the receiving end of the verbal abuse.
On March 3 this year, he wrote on Instagram: “Remember this video I once posted on my IG story in Dec last year? It is far from over.
“Sending my son to school, soap water outside the house. Still being sprayed. They claim to spray their gate and (that it was) always a coincidence my son was there. When actually they can spray all they want when no one is home or after the kids are out in school.”
The police said that over the course of investigations, they have remained in contact with the parties involved and advised all parties to minimise contact and interactions with each other.
It added that those found guilty of the offence of intentionally causing harassment face a fine of up to S$5,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both. Those found guilty of the offence of public nuisance, face a jail term of up to three months, a fine of up to S$2,000, or both.
“The police do not condone any behaviour that impacts the public’s sense of safety and security in the neighbourhoods. We urge members of the public to practise neighbourliness and work together to overcome Covid-19 together.”
Responding to TODAY’s queries on the matter, a spokesperson from SKH said that the hospital is aware of a video circulating online showing a neighbour’s behaviour to one of its nurses.
“We have advised our staff to go through the proper processes of lodging a police report, speaking to his MP and going through mediation with his neighbours,” the spokesperson said. — TODAY
