Two teens charged over juice prank video at FairPrice
Two 17-year-old boys have been charged in a district court today with the offence of public nuisance with common intention.
The boys, Nigel Pang Yew Ming and Quek Xuan Zhi were arrested yesterday for posting a video which showed one of them drinking from two bottles of juice at a FairPrice supermarket and then placing them back on the shelf.
The video was uploaded by one of the boys to his private Instagram account and later circulated by his friend online.
The police said the video caused public alarm during a period of heightened sensitivity amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
The incident took place on Feb 8 during the early stages of the outbreak in Singapore.
In the video, a boy drinks from the bottle in the store despite a FairPrice staff member walking by, before putting it back on the shelf because it was too "sour".
A version of the video circulating online had the title How To Spread Wuhan, referring to the Chinese city that was then the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.
The two boys later said the video was a joke and that they had paid for the drinks. They have also apologised.
"We were indeed really childish and immature... But I really hope you guys can give us a second chance," they said on social media.
Both teens were offered bail of $3,000 each. They will be back in court on May 8.
Offenders convicted of being a public nuisance can be jailed for up to three months and fined up to $2,000.
- THE STRAITS TIMES
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