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Little India riot: Man gets 3 strokes of the cane for instigating crowd

SINGAPORE — A man who was involved in the Little India riot last December will be getting three strokes of the cane — on top of his existing 25-month prison sentence — following an appeal by the prosecution to increase his punishment on the grounds that the jail term was “manifestly inadequate and did not correspond to the gravity of the offence”.

At least five emergency vehicles were set alight during the Little India riot last year. TODAY FILE PHOTO

At least five emergency vehicles were set alight during the Little India riot last year. TODAY FILE PHOTO

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SINGAPORE — A man who was involved in the Little India riot last December will be getting three strokes of the cane — on top of his existing 25-month prison sentence — following an appeal by the prosecution to increase his punishment on the grounds that the jail term was “manifestly inadequate and did not correspond to the gravity of the offence”.

In making the appeal, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sellakumaran Sellamuthoo told the High Court yesterday that the prison sentence imposed on 42-year-old Samiyappan Sellathurai did not suffice, as the Indian national had not only participated in the riot but also instigated the crowd.

In his submission, illustrated by clips of CCTV footage from the Dec 8 riot, Mr Sellakumaran said: “The respondent instigated others to help him remove a concrete slab that was used to pave the ground. The respondent had tried to do so on his own but failed, as the slab was heavy and stuck to the ground. After the crowd joined in — in response to the respondent’s instigation — the concrete slab was dislodged.

“During the time frame between 10.09pm and 10.19pm, the respondent threw a total of eight pieces of concrete in the direction of the public vehicles and public servants. The crowd, which before this was non-violent, followed the respondent’s lead and started to dislodge other concrete slabs, break them and used them as projectiles.

“The respondent then continued his streak of creating chaos and unrest by inciting others to help carry a small metal rack and ram it against a side wall of the Little India MRT station,” he added.

Justice Chan Seng Onn, who presided over the hearing, said the video clips clearly showed Samiyappan as a “ringleader” who instigated the crowd.

“In this case of rioting, vandalism was involved. Not only vandalism but destruction of government property,” Justice Chan said before meting out the caning sentence.

He added that Samiyappan was “considered lucky” that the prosecution had not appealed for a longer prison term.

Twenty-five individuals have been charged for their respective roles in the riot. Of these, 21 have pleaded guilty and are currently serving their sentences.

Among those whose sentences also include caning are Arumugam Karthik, 25, who received a 33-month jail term and three strokes of the cane for flipping over three police cars and setting another on fire; and Ramalingam Sakthivel, 33, who got 30 months’ jail and three strokes of the cane for flipping over a police car, hitting an ambulance with a pole and hurling projectiles at police officers and vehicles.

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