A 19-year-old French student has been ordered by a Singapore court to pay a fine of S$600 (US$465) after admitting to creating a public nuisance by contaminating a drinking straw from an automated orange juice machine and placing it back in the dispenser.
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, who is pursuing his studies in Singapore, pleaded guilty to the offence following an incident that attracted widespread public criticism.
The teenager had uploaded a video of the act on Instagram with the caption, “city is not safe”.
The footage quickly spread across social media after being reshared by a community platform and later reported by local media, prompting outrage from many viewers.
In response, beverage vending company iJooz confirmed it removed and replaced all 500 straws stored inside the affected machine to safeguard customers.
Under Singaporean law, individuals convicted of public nuisance can face a maximum penalty of a S$2,000 fine, three months’ imprisonment, or both.
During the hearing, both prosecutors and the defence agreed that a financial penalty was the appropriate sentence.
According to The Straits Times, Maximilien’s lawyer told the court that his client deeply regretted the incident and now understood that what he had initially viewed as a harmless prank had serious consequences.
The incident occurred on 12 March at an iJooz vending machine located at Goldhill Centre, an upscale area of Singapore, shortly after the student had completed a boxing training session, local broadcaster Channel News Asia reported.
Known for selling freshly squeezed orange juice at S$2 per serving, iJooz vending machines are commonly found in shopping malls, residential estates and public transport stations across Singapore.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong