'Badge lady' back in court for new charges

PHOTO: TODAY

A woman who was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison last year for failing to wear a face mask in public, including at Marina Bay Sands (MBS), returned to a district court on Wednesday and was given further charges related to the Covid-19 outbreak.

55-year-old Phoon Chiu Yoke, often known as the "Badge Lady" by netizens, has been charged with two violations of the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act and one violation of the Infectious Diseases Act.

Her case has been postponed until Oct. 14 for a pre-trial meeting.

According to court records, Phoon neglected to wear a face mask when walking along Mandarin Gallery on Orchard Road on March 6 between 3.02 and 4.04 p.m.

On March 29, wearing masks outdoors became optional.

She is also accused of committing a similar offence at a Victoria's Secret store between 3:35 and 3:37 p.m. on the same day.

On March 31, she reportedly failed to appear before the Tourism Court at the Singapore Tourism Board on Orchard Spring Lane, as required by a health officer conducting an inquiry at the time.