Homeless woman jailed for dancing naked while burning objects in Geylang

David Sun
The Straits Times
June 9, 2021

A woman who danced naked while setting objects alight at a back alley in Geylang was jailed for four months and six weeks on Wednesday (June 9).

Norazidah Mohamed Zain, 33, who was homeless at the time, also admitted to leaving suspicious items at the Police Cantonment Complex knowing they would cause alarm.

She pleaded guilty to one count each of mischief by fire, appearing nude in public, and placing a thing causing fear of harm. Norazidah is the first person to be convicted for the charge of placing a thing causing fear of harm.

Another charge of mischief by fire was taken into consideration for sentencing.

On the morning of Feb 18 this year, Norazidah lied her way into the Police Cantonment Complex. She left a white box containing a Bluetooth speaker, a TV box, two remote controls, two charging wires, a red packet containing several pieces of paper, a yellow talisman and a brooch at level two.

She left the complex at about 9am.

At about 4pm, an officer found the objects inside an orange bag. Alarmed, he called security.

After Norazidah was arrested and questioned, she gave a variety of reasons for her presence at the complex but did not have a reasonable excuse over why she had placed the items there.

On March 18 at about 11.20pm, she was seen dancing naked and pouring powder from a tin onto the ground at the back alley of Lorong 20 Geylang. She also threw rubbish and cans into a fire on top of a metal box.

The police were called and found burnt items consisting of beer cans and mosquito coils on top of the box.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Susanna Yim urged the court to jail Norazidah for six months, noting that she has a long string of past convictions dating back to 2005.

Her previous offences included rioting, mischief, trespass, theft, public nuisance, assault, rash acts and a bomb hoax.

In mitigation, Norazidah, who said she has six children, pleaded with the court to give her a chance to change.

For mischief by fire, she could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined.

For appearing nude in public, she could have been imprisoned for up to three months, or fined up to $2,000, or both.

For placing a thing causing fear of harm, she could have been jailed for up to six months, or fined up to $5,000, or both.