SINGAPORE: District Judge Mathew Joseph had strong words for 20-year-old Razmy Abdul Rahim after the latter admitted to targeting foreign workers and assaulting them out of “hatred”.
The ITE College East student assaulted at least five Indian and Bangladeshi construction workers with accomplice Ko Wai Kit in five separate unprovoked attacks in 2013 and 2014, ones which Judge Mathew called “particularly deplorable”.
Razmy pleaded guilty on Thursday (Jan 21) to two counts of causing hurt by punching two foreign workers in separate incidents, one count of causing grievous hurt for attacking an Indian worker and dislocating his shoulder, and one count of causing hurt to his schoolmate with a bicycle chain.
Another two counts of causing hurt to foreign workers will be taken into consideration during sentencing.
Razmy had explained to police that he had targeted foreign workers because “he disliked the way they looked at his mother and his girlfriend”, the court heard.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jason Chua said the case is “especially disturbing” because of “the toxic combination of xenophobic and racist attitudes” held by Razmy, who had targeted a “very particular section of the community”.
In one incident in March 2014, Indian construction worker Kaspar John Xavier was standing near a bus stop along Hougang Avenue 3 with three colleagues. Upon noticing that Razmy and Ko were nearby, and that Razmy had a penknife, Mr Xavier became afraid, and the group left.
Three days later, Mr Xaiver again saw Razmy and Ko walking towards the bus stop, and asked them about the penknife incident a few days earlier. Razmy responded by punching Mr Xavier’s colleagues, including 28-year-old Chelladurai Prabu, who suffered a dislocated shoulder as a result of the assault.
And in two separate incidences in June and July 2013, Razmy and Ko had approached lone foreign workers who were walking down the street while using their phones and assaulted the unsuspecting men by punching them repeatedly. In one case, one attacker held the Bangladesh national while the other punched him on the nose.
The deputy called for the court to “send an unstinting message” that such offences will not be tolerated, otherwise it might compromise “the social fabric of our multiracial and harmonious society”.
DPP Chua also said foreign workers are vulnerable victims because they are “generally unaware of their rights” and may be unable to “vindicate their rights after having been wronged” because of language and culture barriers.
Razmy, who had committed the offences against the foreign workers while on probation for an earlier offence, is expected to be sentenced on Feb 16, pending a reformative training pre-sentence report.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/ite-student-s-repeated/2445318.html?cid=FBsg
The ITE College East student assaulted at least five Indian and Bangladeshi construction workers with accomplice Ko Wai Kit in five separate unprovoked attacks in 2013 and 2014, ones which Judge Mathew called “particularly deplorable”.
Razmy pleaded guilty on Thursday (Jan 21) to two counts of causing hurt by punching two foreign workers in separate incidents, one count of causing grievous hurt for attacking an Indian worker and dislocating his shoulder, and one count of causing hurt to his schoolmate with a bicycle chain.
Another two counts of causing hurt to foreign workers will be taken into consideration during sentencing.
Razmy had explained to police that he had targeted foreign workers because “he disliked the way they looked at his mother and his girlfriend”, the court heard.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jason Chua said the case is “especially disturbing” because of “the toxic combination of xenophobic and racist attitudes” held by Razmy, who had targeted a “very particular section of the community”.
In one incident in March 2014, Indian construction worker Kaspar John Xavier was standing near a bus stop along Hougang Avenue 3 with three colleagues. Upon noticing that Razmy and Ko were nearby, and that Razmy had a penknife, Mr Xavier became afraid, and the group left.
Three days later, Mr Xaiver again saw Razmy and Ko walking towards the bus stop, and asked them about the penknife incident a few days earlier. Razmy responded by punching Mr Xavier’s colleagues, including 28-year-old Chelladurai Prabu, who suffered a dislocated shoulder as a result of the assault.
And in two separate incidences in June and July 2013, Razmy and Ko had approached lone foreign workers who were walking down the street while using their phones and assaulted the unsuspecting men by punching them repeatedly. In one case, one attacker held the Bangladesh national while the other punched him on the nose.
The deputy called for the court to “send an unstinting message” that such offences will not be tolerated, otherwise it might compromise “the social fabric of our multiracial and harmonious society”.
DPP Chua also said foreign workers are vulnerable victims because they are “generally unaware of their rights” and may be unable to “vindicate their rights after having been wronged” because of language and culture barriers.
Razmy, who had committed the offences against the foreign workers while on probation for an earlier offence, is expected to be sentenced on Feb 16, pending a reformative training pre-sentence report.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/ite-student-s-repeated/2445318.html?cid=FBsg
