Man gets four years and caning for rioting

[fighterpilot]

May 30, 2011

Man gets four years and caning for rioting

By Elena Chong

A 17-YEAR-OLD lost his right eye when he was attacked by rival gang members, who had earlier attended a settlement talk, a district court heard.

Mr Arifudien B.M.J. Abideen, 17, was waiting at a bus stop with his friend at West Coast Road on April 29, 2009 when he was led away by eight gang members to a sheltered walkway near Block 507 West Coast Drive.

When fellow member, Poovaindran Murugan, who had planned the revenge attack, arrived in a van, he picked up a wooden pole from the vehicle before proceeding towards the group who were surrounding the victim.

When the victim tried to run, he was tripped and fell to the ground. He was then set upon by the group, one of whom hit him on the head with a spanner while Poovaindran struck him on the head with the wooden pole.

Mr Arifudien was warded for a week for his injuries including fractures and a ruptured right eyeball.

On Monday, Poovaindran, 27, a former army regular, was jailed for four years and ordered to be given 12 strokes of the cane after he admitted to rioting and being a member of an unlawful assembly.

The co-accused, aged 16 to 20, have been dealt with.

 

[Zuo Ci]

Senior gang member jailed four years, caned 12 strokes
By Shaffiq Alkhatib | Posted: 30 May 2011 1444 hrs
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SINGAPORE: A 27-year-old senior gang member was jailed four years on Monday and ordered to receive twelve strokes of the cane after being part of a brawl which resulted in a teenager losing an eye.

The victim, 17-year-old Arifudien B.M.J Abideen, also suffered injuries including fractures to his nose and finger.

He was attacked by Poovindran Murugan and ten others at Block 507, West Coast Drive at around 11pm on April 29, 2009.

They assaulted him with weapons including a wooden pole and a spanner before fleeing the scene.

Poovindran and his accomplices, who were from the "Gi Hai Khim" gang had a talk with the rival "369" group earlier that evening at Block 516 West Coast Road to settle a dispute.

However, Poovindran's group was outnumbered and they backed down.

Unhappy with this outcome, he plotted revenge on the "369" gang and asked his accomplices to look out for members from the rival group.

One of them spotted Arifudien at West Coast Road and told Poovindran about it.

Poovindran instructed him to bring the teenager to nearby Block 507 and he did as he was told.

Poovidran arrived at the scene, armed with the wooden pole, and the brawl broke out soon afterwards.

Eight youths, who were between 18 and 22 years old, have already been dealt with in court for committing the offence.

They were either put on probation or were sent for reformative training for rehabilitation.

Two others are still at large.

- CNA/fa

 

[butoh6050]

4 years is too light. 10 years will be a good starting point taking into consideration that the victim lost his right eye.