A 41-year-old visitor was accused of bribing a National Environment Agency (NEA) officer on Thursday, April 17, to get out of paying a fine for smoking in an undesignated place on Orchard Road.
Huang Qiulin, a Chinese national, faces a charge of corruptly giving gratification under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
On March 26, he smoked outside a shopping mall on Orchard Road while on vacation in Singapore.
According to a press release from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), smoking was not permitted in the area.
Since January 2019, smoking has been forbidden in public locations in the Orchard Road region save for designated smoking areas.
Huang allegedly paid NEA enforcement officer Tan Tar Chuak a bribe of S$50 (US$38) to persuade Tan and two coworkers not to pursue legal action against him.
According to CPIB, the enforcement officer turned down the bribe.
Huang informed a district court that he would enter a guilty plea. He will be back in court on May 15 after being released on S$5,000 bond.
In Singapore, corruption carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine of up to S$100,000, or both. Smoking in a banned area can result in a composition sum of S$200 for offenders. The offenders might face a fine of up to S$1,000 if found guilty in court.
