Man jailed over 3 years for extorting S$210 from stranger in Toa Payoh while claiming to be gang member

SINGAPORE — When he saw a stranger asleep on a public bench in Toa Payoh, Zainudin Osman reached into the man’s pocket before slapping him and asking for S$2,100.

The victim tried to flee but Zainudin followed him and assaulted him some more. The victim eventually handed over S$210 out of fear.

On Tuesday (Oct 18), Zainudin, 61, was jailed for three years and three months after pleading guilty to extortion in the State Courts. He was not charged with any violence-related offences.

The three months of imprisonment was in lieu of caning, because men aged 50 or above cannot be caned under Singapore law.

This was not his first brush with the law, the court heard.

His criminal convictions dated back to 1992. He was most recently jailed three months in 2018 for voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon or means.

As for his extortion offence, Zainudin saw the unemployed victim — a 56-year-old Singaporean — resting on a chair underneath a sheltered area outside Al-Ameerah Restaurant along Lorong 4 Toa Payoh on March 19 last year.

Zainudin sat beside him and tried to reach into the man’s pants pocket, thinking he was asleep.

The victim then swiped his hand away and told him “don’t play” in Hokkien, before walking away to another bench.

He then fell asleep on the bench before Zainudin sat beside him once more.

When Zainudin reached into the man’s pocket again, the victim woke up and asked why he was there, to which Zainudin retorted that he was free to do so.

The victim attempted to walk away, but Zainudin tried to block his path and said he was from the “21 gang”. He also asked for S$2,100 and the victim replied that he had no money.

Zainudin then suggested that he hand over S$210 first and pay him the balance 10 days later.

The victim kept silent and walked towards Toa Payoh National Library, prompting Zainudin to follow him and threaten to beat him up.

Police camera video footage of this was played in court on Tuesday.

As the two men neared the library, Zainudin pulled the victim’s hair, causing him to fall to the ground. He then aimed a kick at the other man, pointed his finger at the victim’s face and slapped him.

The victim tried to block the blows but Zainudin kicked his leg.

When the victim eventually managed to sit up on his own, Zainudin approached him again and swung his arm at him.

After the victim fell to the ground once more, Zainudin began smoking a cigarette, then pinned him to the floor and struck him. He then asked the victim to sit on a bench and the victim gave him S$210.

Zainudin left with the cash.

The victim lodged a police report the following day and went to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for medical attention.

Those convicted of extortion will be jailed for at least two years and up to seven years, and can also be caned.