Landing page banner

The Police would like to clarify inaccuracies in media reports on 26 and 27 August 2025 about a case involving a man who had committed family violence and allegedly smoked kpods.  We took some time following the media reports, to look thoroughly and comprehensively into how our officers had handled the case.

The man’s age is 26, and not 28 as reported.

The earlier reports had quoted the man’s mother as saying that she had called the Police “more than eight times”. This is also incorrect. The Police had received only two calls for assistance from the man’s family in November 2024 and May 2025, due to suicidal intentions expressed by him, and disputes with his family members, respectively. On both occasions, the Police had responded, and he was referred to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for further assessment under Section 7(1) of the Mental Health Act. 

His family members did not disclose any incidents of violence or threats involving the 5-year-old child on either occasion.

Following the media reports which pointed to potential criminal offences that the family had not told the Police previously, the Police interviewed the parties again, on 27 August 2025. This led to the man’s arrest on the same day for criminal intimidation under Section 506 of the Penal Code 1871, and investigations for voluntarily causing hurt under Section 323 of the same act. During the arrest, e-vaporisers and related components found in his possession were seized by officers from the Health Sciences Authority. After tests, some of the e-vaporisers were found to contain etomidate. 

The Police and the Ministry of Social and Family Development worked together to ensure the swift removal of the child from the parents’ care. MSF is now working with the child’s other family members to ensure the child’s safety and well-being while in alternative care.