Teens slashed schoolmates after accidental bump
24 Nov 2010
SOURCE: The Straits Times
AN ALTERCATION in the grounds of MacPherson Secondary School in July turned bloody when two feuding sides met in a basketball court near the school to settle the matter.
Knives were drawn and Liu Zheng Tao, 17, did not come out well: He had to be treated for deep cuts to his head, hand and back. A friend with him was also slashed.
The pair were believed to have been unarmed.
Yesterday, two teenagers from the group that attacked them – Mohamad Fazlie Azmi, 17, and Muhammad Farid Abdullah, 16 – were sentenced to reformative training for the fracas.
Probation was recommended for the pair, but police prosecutor Sheik Allaudeen argued that it was too light a punishment, given that the duo had used “unjustified, mindless violence”.
District Judge Ng Peng Hong agreed, noting that in light of the recent spate of violence among youths, the courts had to send a strong message that such acts would not be condoned.
The attack was not believed to be gang-related.
Fazlie and Farid are in for a strict regime of foot drills, counselling and education lasting between 18 months and three years, depending on their progress.
In the July 13 encounter, they had three accomplices, who have been dealt with in the Juvenile Court and are now in the Singapore Boys Home.
They cannot be named as they are juveniles.
The court heard that while in school that day, Zheng Tao accidentally bumped into a 14-year-old schoolmate. A dispute ensued and they agreed to meet later to resolve the matter.
Zheng Tao named the basketball court in Circuit Road as the venue, where he was to meet friends later.
The 14-year-old roped in two schoolmates and also got hold of Farid, a part-time mover, and Fazlie, who is jobless.
Fazlie showed up at the appointed time with three knives tucked in the waistband of his trousers.
At a staircase landing, he gave a knife each to Farid and a 15-year-old in the group, and kept the third weapon for himself. Another accomplice came with his own knife.
Court papers said the blades were 32cm long.
When the two groups met, tempers flared. Farid and the 15-year-old drew their weapons and started slashing. In seconds, it was over. The attackers fled.
MacPherson Secondary School principal Wong Yu Yuh declined to comment when asked by The Straits Times about the incidence of fights among students in her school and whether they come to school armed.
An individual found guilty of rioting with dangerous weapons likely to cause death stands to be jailed up to 10 years and caned.