SINGAPORE – Singapore police are questioning a student over an online hoax that claimed the country's founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew had died.
Lee, 91, was admitted to Singapore General Hospital on Feb. 5 for severe pneumonia. This week the government said his condition had deteriorated to critically ill.
The police statement Friday said the suspect is a Singaporean boy younger than 16.
The doctored statement purporting to be from the Singapore prime minister's office was circulated on social media on Wednesday.
American news provider CNN and a few other outlets briefly reported the fake announcement.
Police say the maximum penalty for computer misuse offenses is 10 years in prison and a Singapore dollars 50,000 fine ($36,000).
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