The Public Security Police (PSP) apprehended a local man on Tuesday for damaging a campaign poster displayed on an election billboard, PSP spokesman Cheong Heon Fan said during a regular press conference yesterday.
Cheong identified the suspect as a male surnamed Chan, who is in his forties and works as a labourer.
According to Cheong, police officers on patrol on September 1 discovered a burn mark, which was caused by a cigarette, on a campaign poster for a certain group displayed on the election billboard along Avenida do General Castelo Branco (白朗古將軍大馬路).
Cheong did not identify the candidacy group concerned.
Through their citywide CCTV surveillance, the police identified Chan as the suspect who had entered the billboard area while holding a cigarette. Chan was intercepted on Tuesday afternoon in Avenida do Conselheiro Borja (青洲大馬路). The police seized the clothing he wore during the incident from his flat, along with a packet of cigarettes that matched the brand of the cigarette end found at the crime scene.
Under questioning, Chan admitted to the offence, claiming that he had been “in a bad mood” at that time and used the cigarette he was holding to vent his moodiness against the poster. He also claimed to have no political affiliation and insisted that he did not target any specific candidature group.
Chan has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing a charge of damaging election campaign materials, which could result in a maximum penalty of three years in prison, Cheong said.
This undated handout photo provided by the Public Security Police (PSP) yesterday shows a PSP officer escorting the suspect into a police station.
