Teen who did backflip in rhino enclosure in S’pore Zoo allegedly consumed cannabis while out on bail

SINGAPORE – A youth who was caught on video last December doing a backflip inside a white rhinoceros enclosure at the Singapore Zoo allegedly consumed cannabis while he was out on bail.

Ralph Wee Yi Kai, 19, was charged with one count of drug consumption in a district court on Wednesday (Oct 13).

He was first hauled to court in July this year, when he was charged with two counts of mischief as well as one count each of vandalism and criminal trespass. Wee was offered bail of $15,000.

The Singaporean was said to have taken the drug in August while out on bail.

On Wednesday, Wee appeared in court via video link. He had his bail revoked earlier after he breached its conditions and was remanded.

While out on bail, he was supposed to undergo urine tests at the Central Narcotics Bureau but failed to do so.

Defence lawyer Shashi Nathan told the court on Wednesday that his client had been issued medical certificates for days he was supposed to go for the tests.

Urging the court to grant bail, he added that Wee is now a “very different person” and has “calmed down”.

District Judge Terence Tay then granted Wee bail of $20,000.

His pre-trial conference will take place on Nov 2.

He currently faces six charges – two of mischief as well as one each of vandalism, criminal trespass, animal abuse and drug consumption.

Wee is accused of trespassing into the rhinoceros enclosure at around 2.40pm on Dec 17 last year.

He is said to have abused a frog, causing “unnecessary pain and suffering”, at a Sentosa Cove property a week later.

Wee allegedly placed the amphibian on a foosball table before directing a ball “at high speed” towards it.

The ball struck the frog, which suffered injuries and died.

Separately, Wee allegedly committed an act of vandalism at around 2.40am on Oct 9 last year by hitting an information panel at a bus stop in Sixth Avenue, off Bukit Timah Road, causing $900 in damage.

He is also said to have caused damage to two cars at nearby Sixth Crescent that morning by hitting their side mirrors.

Wee is accused of causing damage amounting to nearly $2,800 to a Mercedes-Benz and more than $1,600 to a BMW.

In an earlier statement, the police said officers were alerted to the case at the Singapore Zoo at around 5.40pm on Dec 17 last year.

The police added: “Preliminary investigations revealed that the man’s companion, an 18-year-old woman, allegedly filmed him before the man posted the video on his TikTok account, using the moniker @ralphwee_.

“Through investigations, officers from Woodlands Police Division established the identities of the man and woman on the same evening.”

Following investigations and after consulting the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the police issued a stern warning to the woman for abetting criminal trespass.

Her identity is not disclosed in court documents.

If convicted of criminal trespass, Wee can be jailed for up to three months and fined up to $1,500.

For vandalism, an offender can be fined up to $2,000 or jailed for up to three years and receive between three and eight strokes of the cane.

For cannabis consumption, an offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined up to $20,000.