Man to be charged with punching NEA officers at Redhill Food Centre

SINGAPORE: A 53-year-old man will be charged on Friday (Jan 14) after he allegedly punched two National Environment Agency (NEA) officers who were conducting checks at a hawker centre.

In a news release on Thursday, police said they were alerted to a fight at Redhill Food Centre on the evening of Oct 23 last year. 

Investigations revealed that two NEA officers had found the man to be unvaccinated against COVID-19. When questioned, the man became agitated and purportedly punched the two officers. 

Police assistance was sought, and the man was subsequently arrested.

The man will be charged with two counts of voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharging his duty. If found guilty, he can be jailed up to seven years, and fined or caned.

He will also be charged with the offence of entering a food centre without having a cleared status under COVID-19 regulations. If convicted, he can be fined up to S$5,000, or jailed up to six months.

"Members of the public are advised to take the prevailing safe management measures seriously," said police.

It added that it takes a "stern view" of abusive behaviour against public servants or public service workers who are carrying out their public duties, as well as of irresponsible behaviour relating to the flouting of safe distancing measures.