SINGAPORE, Dec 17 — The trial of Dr Jipson Quah, a general practitioner (GP) accused of orchestrating a criminal conspiracy involving fake Covid-19 vaccinations, began in Singapore yesterday.

The Straits Times reported that the court heard that patients had paid up to S$6,000 (RM19,700) for saline shots, which were recorded as the Sinopharm vaccine to bypass pandemic restrictions for the unvaccinated.

Quah, 36, is facing 17 charges for making false representations to the Health Promotion Board (HPB) about the vaccination statuses of 17 individuals between 2021 and 2022.

He is on trial alongside Thomas Chua Cheng Soon, his former clinic assistant, and Iris Koh Hsiao Pei, the founder of the anti-vaccine group Healing the Divide.

According to The Straits Times, Deputy Public Prosecutors Timotheus Koh, Yohanes Ng, and Thaddeus Tan said that they would present 11 statements from Quah and Chua to prove their involvement.

The prosecution also revealed they would call 14 witnesses, including patients who received the saline shots.

In his opening statement, DPP Koh disclosed that Quah and Chua admitted their roles. Quah allegedly told the police that a family of three paid him between S$1,000 and S$6,000 for a saline injection.

He charged S$70 for both the Sinopharm vaccine and saline shots, which was significantly lower than the S$90 to S$99 charged by private healthcare providers for two doses of the actual vaccine in 2021.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Karl Elliott Lim Peng, who recorded Quah’s initial statements, testified that Quah explained he did not feel comfortable accepting large sums of money for saline shots, The Straits Times added.

"I interpreted it as a token of gratitude... For patients who offer to pay more, I will not reject them,” Quah allegedly said. He also stated that Chua took 30 per cent of the payments.

The court also heard that Quah met Koh in July 2021 when she accompanied a female patient complaining of vaccine side effects.

Koh allegedly asked Quah if he could conduct tests for other patients with similar concerns.

This led to an exchange of contact details, and more patients referred by Koh sought alternatives to the Covid-19 vaccine at Quah's clinic.

As restrictions on the unvaccinated increased, Koh reportedly asked Quah to provide the Sinopharm vaccine.

In response, Quah allegedly offered saline shots to patients who feared side effects, recording their vaccination status as Sinopharm injections.

Quah explained to the police that he used saline because it was harmless and readily available.

"I felt sorry and acceded to their requests because those who were unvaccinated faced significant social restrictions and I wanted to help them,” he was quoted as saying.

He recalled an elderly couple who begged for saline shots instead of the vaccine.

Chua, who worked with Quah between October 2021 and January 2022, is accused of collecting payments from patients and passing them to Quah.

Quah said that neither his clinic staff nor other patients knew of the arrangement.

Quah maintains he did not intend to harm anyone or profit from saline injections.

"I did not mean to harm anybody or profit through saline injections, and I wanted to help those in need,” he said.

Chua is facing seven charges, and Koh faces seven additional charges, including allegations of instigating harassment of doctors at vaccination centres.

If convicted of making false representations, Quah, Koh, and Chua could face up to 20 years in prison, fines, or both for each charge.

The case will continue in the coming days.