Man to be charged after allegedly starting fire in front of mosque

SINGAPORE: A 50-year-old man will be charged in court on Saturday for allegedly starting a fire outside a mosque in Singapore's central business district.

In a news release, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said it was alerted to a fire outside a mosque at 80 Raffles Place at about 9pm on Friday. The address corresponds to that of Masjid Moulana Mohamed Ali, which is located in the basement of UOB Plaza One.

Authorities found that the man had placed an oil tin at the entrance of the mosque and set fire to a piece of undergarment placed inside.

The suspect, who the police said was Chinese, subsequently left the location.

"The fire was put out by a member of the public and no injuries were reported," SPF added.

SPF officers arrested the man within three hours of the report, seizing a lighter as a case exhibit.

If found guilty of causing or contributing to the risk of a dangerous fire, the man may face a jail term of up to one year, a fine, or both.