Man To Be Charged With Defamation

The Police will be charging a 26-year-old man in court on 24 April 2024 for his involvement in the publication of an online article which propagated a false story of a miscarriage that occurred at KK Women's and Children's Hospital ("KKH").

On 25 March 2022, KKH lodged a police report pertaining to an article titled "The baby is probably dead - Woman shares a harrowing account of her miscarriage at KKH A&E", published on the Wake Up, Singapore's ("WUSG") website (www.wakeup.sg), Facebook page, and Instagram page. The article alleged that KKH's mismanagement of healthcare services resulted in a female patient suffering a miscarriage after a four-hour wait for COVID-19 treatment and abdominal pains at KKH's Accident & Emergency Department on 28 February 2022.

Upon receiving the police report from KKH, the Police consulted the Attorney-General's Chambers and were authorised to investigate the matter.

Investigations revealed that the 26-year-old man was purportedly the administrator for WUSG's website, Facebook page, and Instagram page. Subsequent investigations found that the allegations in the aforementioned article were untrue.

The man will be charged in court on 24 April 2024 with defamation under Section 500 of the Penal Code 1871. The offence of defamation can be punished with imprisonment for a term of up to two years, or with a fine, or both.