Man to be charged with allegedly starting a fire in front of mosque at UOB Plaza

SINGAPORE – A 50-year-old Chinese man will be charged in court on Sept 26 for allegedly causing a fire at the entrance of a mosque.

In a statement early on Sept 26, police said they were alerted to a fire outside a mosque located at 80 Raffles Place at around 9pm on Sept 25.

Checks show that Masjid Moulana Mohamed Ali, which is at the basement of UOB Plaza, is located at that address.

Preliminary police investigations revealed that the man had placed an oil tin at the entrance of the mosque and set fire to a piece of undergarment placed in the tin, before then leaving the location.

The fire was extinguished by a member of public and no injuries were reported.

Through ground enquiries and with the help of cameras, the man was identified and arrested, according to the police statement. The police also seized a lighter as evidence.

The man will be charged in court on Sept 26 with causing or contributing to the risk of a dangerous fire. The offence carries an imprisonment term of up to one year, or fine, or both.

In their statement, the police said they “have zero tolerance against acts that endanger the lives or safety of others and (they) will not hesitate to act against those who blatantly disregard the law”.