Youths who assaulted man sentenced to reformative training

SINGAPORE — A district judge today (Nov 26) sentenced two youths to reformative training for assaulting a 39-year-old man, which left him bedridden with brain damage, and said their young age and lower culpability were the reasons they did not get stiffer punishments.

District Judge Mathew Joseph told Mohammad Zaidi Zahad, 17, and Muhammad Syazwandi Abdullah, 16, that he would have had “no hesitation” to jail and cane them for their crimes, if they were older. This, he said, was to impress upon them that “if you behave like a thug, you will suffer the most serious punishment”.

Reformative training is a more severe sentencing option for offenders aged below 21. Offenders are kept in an institution for at least 18 months and undergo structured rehabilitation programmes, including foot drills and counselling. It can run up to 36 months, depending on the offender’s performance.

On March 6 this year, the pair visited a 7-Eleven store at Tampines Street 23 to buy food and drinks early in the morning, accompanied by two friends, Mohammad Noor Helmi Mohammed Herman, 19, and Ahmad Sholihin Mosa, 23. The victim, Mr See Chien Hwa, asked Helmi for cigarettes outside the store and moments later, slapped him on the back. 

Later, Mr See sat on a bench and started shouting at the group. Unhappy, Helmi asked the other three if they wanted to beat the victim up. They approached him and smashed a beer bottle over his head, before raining punches and kicks on him.

Medical reports tendered to the court state that doctors are unsure whether Mr See will ever recover from his injuries.

Today, the judge said the injuries suffered by the victim were serious and that he needs help with changing, bathing and feeding, and breathes through a tracheostomy tube. Mr Joseph added that the duo would have to carry the burden of their actions in the vicious assault on their conscience.

Sholihin and Helmi will return to court on Dec 1 and Dec 4 respectively.

CORRECTION: In an earlier version of this article, we reported that the reformative training could run till 30 months. This is incorrect. The reformative training can run tilll 36 months. We apologise for the error.