22-12-2023 (SINGAPORE) Yi Huaichun, a 44-year-old Chinese national, has been remanded in Singapore after facing charges of attempted theft from passengers during a flight from Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, to Singapore.
Yi appeared in court again on Friday (Dec 22) to address the three charges brought against him. The initial charges were filed on Dec 16, and he has been in custody since then.
The allegations against Yi involve three separate attempts to steal from passengers on Cambodia Airways flight KR751, which departed from Phnom Penh on the morning of Dec 15.
Around 9:40 am, Yi is accused of trying to pilfer from a black haversack belonging to one passenger. Shortly thereafter, he allegedly attempted theft from a black backpack owned by another individual. Less than an hour later, he is also accused of trying to commit theft from a black leather bag belonging to a third person.
Yi is charged under Section 3(2) of the Tokyo Convention Act, enabling Singapore to prosecute individuals for offenses committed on board any aircraft landing in Singapore if the suspect is on board.
During Friday’s court appearance, when asked for his plea, Yi declared his innocence. He is scheduled to return for a pre-trial conference in January.
If found guilty of attempted theft, Yi could face a maximum sentence of up to three years in jail, a fine, or both.
This incident follows the recent case of another Chinese national, 52-year-old Zhang Xiuqiang, who was charged on Monday with stealing approximately S$31,000 (US$23,260) from three passengers on a Scoot flight bound for Singapore from Vietnam.
