Cameras everywhere buddy..
In a recent court ruling, an Indian national, Ramu Chinnarasa, aged 37, was fined S$400 (US$308) for defecating at the entrance of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) in Singapore. The incident, captured in a viral video, sparked outrage and led to the court’s decision. The judge, upon hearing the construction worker’s plea for a lower fine, sternly reminded him, “Do you know how to get a low fine? Don’t do this in public.”
Ramu Chinnarasa, 37
Ramu pleaded guilty to the offence of defecating in a public space under the Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) Regulations. The court learned that on the night of Oct 29, 2023, he consumed three bottles of hard liquor and, heavily intoxicated, entered the MBS casino to gamble. Unable to find a restroom in his drunken state, Ramu resorted to relieving himself at 7.01 am at the entrance of The Shoppes at MBS, next to a restaurant.
According to the prosecutor, the location where Ramu defecated was accessible to the public and not suitable for such acts. After completing the deed, Ramu simply left the scene without alerting anyone and sought refuge on some stone benches outside MBS until 11 am due to feeling unwell.
The prosecution emphasized the seriousness of the offence, pointing out that Ramu defecated in public for approximately 10 minutes. They highlighted that the incident was only discovered after a video circulated on social media and was brought to the attention of the MBS security team.
Despite being unrepresented, Ramu requested leniency from the court regarding the imposed fine. The judge, District Judge Christopher Goh, cautioned Ramu about the consequences of his actions. Judge Goh stated, “Better still, don’t get yourself so drunk that this happens.” He warned Ramu that a repeat of such behaviour would result in a higher penalty.
In closing, the judge made it clear that failure to pay the fine would lead to a two-day jail term for Ramu. Additionally, the court noted that the offender could have faced a higher fine of up to S$1,000 for the public defecation incident.
