An Indian construction worker, Ramu Chinnarasa, was fined for defecating at the entrance of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) in Singapore last year. The 37-year-old appeared in court and pleaded guilty to the offense under the Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) Regulations, receiving a fine of $400 (approximately Rs 25,000).
A photo of the incident went viral on Facebook in October, quickly drawing widespread attention.
What Exactly Happened?
According to a report by a leading publication, the incident occurred on October 30, 2023, after Ramu had consumed three bottles of hard liquor and spent the night gambling at the Marina Bay Sands casino.
Around 5 AM, he left the casino and, in his inebriated state, was unable to find a restroom. As a result, he squatted next to a restaurant at The Shoppes at MBS and defecated around 7 AM.
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The prosecutor highlighted that the location was a public area, not meant for “sanitary convenience.” After finishing at 7:11 AM, Ramu left without notifying anyone of his actions. He then rested on stone benches outside MBS until 11 AM due to dizziness before eventually heading back to his dormitory in Kranji.
Later that day, a member of the MBS security team discovered the viral video on Facebook showing Ramu defecating at the location. The security officer immediately informed his supervisor, who then reported the public defecation incident to the police.
Ramu left Singapore on October 31, 2023, but later returned. On June 4, while trying to re-enter the MBS casino, security recognized him as an “undesirable guest,” leading to his arrest by the police.
During the court proceedings, the prosecutor recommended a fine between S$400 (approximately Rs 25,000) and S$500 (approximately Rs 32,000), noting that Ramu had defecated in public for about 10 minutes, which she described as “not insignificant.” Ramu requested the court for the “lowest fine.”
District Judge Christopher Goh Eng Chiang responded by advising Ramu to avoid public intoxication to prevent such incidents in the future, warning that the fine would be higher if it happened again. The judge ultimately imposed a fine of S$400 (about Rs 25,000).
