Sri Lankan student in Singapore repeatedly breaches quarantine

16 February 2021 04:46 pm - 16 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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An incoming Singapore Management University (SMU) student from Sri Lanka who was serving his 14-day stay-home notice (SHN) at Hotel Grand Pacific repeatedly breached his quarantine by leaving his room, foreign media reported.

On multiple occasions last August, Mr Nishad Manilka De Fonseka, 20, unlawfully left his room on the 13th storey of the Victoria Street hotel to visit a female friend who was also serving her SHN on the same floor.

He was finally caught on August 10 last year when a security officer found his room empty with the door left ajar. In an inquiry into Mr De Fonseka's death on Tuesday (Feb 16), investigation officer Victoria Yee told the court that the youth was found motionless, hanging in his room two days later. Inspector Yee added that it is "strongly suggested" that Mr De Fonseka had killed himself and that he had been worried about the implications of his breached SHN.

She also told State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam that the student was pronounced dead at the scene and there was no reason to suspect foul play.

The court heard that the Sri Lankan arrived in Singapore on Aug 1 last year and was served with an SHN. Closed-circuit television footage taken from the corridor outside his room was played in court on Tuesday. In it, he could be seen leaving his room on Aug 10 last year before visiting his friend next door.

The court heard that the pair had watched movies on Netflix together. A security officer went by soon after and saw that Mr De Fonseka's room was empty, with the door left ajar. The man alerted his colleagues and the door was closed.

Mr De Fonseka left his friend's room at 11.22pm that evening and found that he could not enter his own room. This was because he had not been given an access card to enter it again.

In the video footage, he could be seen pacing up and down the hotel corridor. His friend later alerted the hotel and staff allowed Mr De Fonseka back into his own room. SMU was alerted and its senior assistant director of student conduct, Mr Raymond Singh, sent Mr De Fonseka an e-mail to find out more about the situation.

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Comments - 16

Saranga W Tuesday, 16 February 2021 05:09 PM

Don't tolerate like in SL Send them back so they will learn a life lesson to respect the LAW of the land which is by far the need of the hour in SL

Mm Tuesday, 16 February 2021 05:53 PM

Saranga! He was a young 19years old student, 1 new 1st year student in a foreign country! You sound so cruel to say “life lesson” may be you don’t have kids of your own to know the mind set of a teenager

Shehan Tuesday, 16 February 2021 06:31 PM

I guess you didn't read the whole article. The student has committed suicide.

Michael Ranasinghe Tuesday, 16 February 2021 05:26 PM

While it is sad that a valuable young life has been lost this is the typical behaviour of most Sri Lankans who assume that like in Sri Lanka breaking the law is a fashion as it is done by the rich and powerful . When they try it in a country that justice is meted out equally to all they end up taking their own life unable to cope or manage .

Dee Tuesday, 16 February 2021 05:30 PM

Just throw them out of the country!

Sokrates Tuesday, 16 February 2021 06:28 PM

That is is because Sri Lankans have no discipline and do not obey orders.

Lucifer Tuesday, 16 February 2021 08:32 PM

Why will you obey orders if 'orders' are cruel and inhuman!

Lived and worked in Singapore for three years. Tuesday, 16 February 2021 06:38 PM

In Singapore you are paid well but freedoms are restricted like no other Asian country except China or North Korea. In Singapore it is a criminal offence to possess fire crackers, fire works, even chewing gum. An average person like a school teacher can not afford to buy a car , you have to be very rich to own one. Public transport does not cover the entire country so you have to depend on taxis which are very expensive. There can not be any activity for students or anyone to talk anything very critical about the country which is being ruled by one family since independence. So if you are a Sri Lankan who wants to live and work in Singapore for a short time and make enough money then you can do it. But living for long time in the country with “ no freedom “ your life would be damaged permanently. Our government must inform all Sri Lankans about the negative factors of Singapore before they go there to study or work.

Punchi banda Tuesday, 16 February 2021 06:50 PM

We superior shinhala Buddhists only live by Buddha’s laws and the Sangas edits. Man made laws don’t apply to us. We are also blessed and immune to this covid 19

Ranaweera Tuesday, 16 February 2021 10:46 PM

This young man's life could have been saved if authorities there acted like humans. In Singapore things look good from outside but people are like machinery, work is work, sad story. His parents must be devastated. This could happen to anyone's child.

Ranaweera Tuesday, 16 February 2021 10:49 PM

Recently a Britisher was also found guilty of similar act.

Angel Tuesday, 16 February 2021 10:50 PM

Very sad incident and a message to all parents and children. These kinds of issues can be dealt with and has solutions and not worth taking your life. Life is a precious. Take care!

Fellow Srilankan Tuesday, 16 February 2021 11:01 PM

What type of a Management University is this, and its student Councillors must be morons. They should have understood the psychology of a student who is leaving his parents and coming to a new country and quarantined in a room. And acted and advised accordingly, not to impose a 10,000 dollar penalty to him. Because of the cruel

mnsmart Wednesday, 17 February 2021 08:57 AM

Fellow sri lankan, think of sri lanka burning bodies against the WHO guidelines. lets put our country in order before criticizing others.

brainmaster Wednesday, 17 February 2021 06:58 PM

sadly somethings went wrong, now a precious young life is lost. RIP

Zeero Wednesday, 17 February 2021 09:55 PM

There are enough proof for a rational human being to see this so called investigation was only taken place to release whoever was responsible and place the blame directly Mr. De Fonseka. As I personally knew Mr. De Fonseka, I can vouch for him that he would never do such a thing simply because he ran out of options, someone clearly forced him to do this and then again the only person who had a direct contact with him was Savandi Gunawardhena. Hence the question arises. Was the investigation done, favoured a side? Savandi Gunawardhena, the only other person who had contact with Mr. De Fonseka should be further investigated before making any more conclusions.

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Sri Lankan student in Singapore repeatedly breaches quarantine

Comments - 16

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