A 37-year-old Singaporean woman, Sabrina Han Meizhen, was charged on Wednesday (Jan 28) with one count of public nuisance after a video of her spitting water at commuters went viral. The incident occurred at about 8 a.m. on Jan 16 at Choa Chu Kang MRT Station. Han allegedly spat water at a person named Ng Siew Hiang and other passengers, causing annoyance to the victim and the public.
Court Appearance and Psychiatric Observation
Han appeared in court via video link, wearing a shirt similar to the one seen in the viral video and a mask. The prosecution requested that she be remanded to the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric observation. The judge ordered her remanded there for two weeks.
Han acknowledged the order, asking if she could be bailed. The judge replied, “Not for the time being. After the two weeks, we will review the situation.” Han responded, “Oh, two weeks. I would like to say that I am remorseful and I will control my anxiety attack and not do it again.”
Details from the Viral Video
In the Instagram video subtitled “Lady helping to clean the train,” Han is seen drinking from a bottle while standing on a visibly wet floor. She then repeatedly spat water at passengers, with commuters giving her a wide berth and crowding near the cabin edges. At one point, a woman appeared to tussle with her to grab the bottle.
Potential Penalties
If convicted of public nuisance, Han could face a fine of up to S$2,000 (US$1,585). If it is proven that she knew her actions would likely cause annoyance or if she is a repeat offender, she could face up to three months in jail, a fine of S$2,000, or both.
