Iris Koh, founder of Healing the Divide group, charged and remanded over alleged scheme to submit false vaccination information

SINGAPORE: Iris Koh, the founder of a group with a known stance against COVID-19 vaccination, has been charged and remanded over her alleged involvement in a scheme to submit false information to the Ministry of Health (MOH).

The 46-year-old founder of Healing the Divide was arrested on Friday with two other men, aged 33 and 40, for conspiracy to cheat. Eight other people are also being investigated for their suspected involvement in this case.

Koh was charged on Sunday with one count of conspiracy to cheat and has been remanded for further investigation.

The two men, Jipson Quah and Chua Cheng Soon Thomas, were charged on Friday with abetment by conspiracy to cheat. They have also been held on remand.

The Health Ministry had informed the police on Friday of MOH's investigations into a doctor suspected of submitting false information to the National Immunisation Registry.

This information indicated that the doctor had "administered COVID-19 vaccines to individuals when in fact he had not", said the police. Court documents indicated that it was the Sinopharm vaccine.

After investigating the MOH report, the police arrested Koh, Quah and Chua on the same day. 

Koh had allegedly referred clients, believed to be members of Healing the Divide, to Quah - the doctor - and had also suggested administering something in lieu of the vaccine to patients, the police said.

The two men - the doctor and his assistant - had submitted the information "with the intention to induce MOH to issue the Certificate of Vaccination against COVID-19 in the TraceTogether application", said the police.

The offences of abetment by conspiracy to cheat and criminal conspiracy to cheat carry jail terms of up to three years, or a fine, or both.

Koh is currently under investigation for allegedly instigating others to call and overwhelm COVID-19 public hotlines.

"The Police take a very serious view of conduct which may pose a public health risk amid the national fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," the police said.

"Offenders will be dealt with sternly, in accordance with the law."