Jail for man who threw ice-cream stick, face masks at enforcement officers and verbally abused them

• Muhammad Adimin Kemton pleaded guilty to two charges
• ​Six short video clips played in court showed how he verbally abused government officers 
• He also threw a newly bought packet of face masks at one of them
   

SINGAPORE — A 30-year-old food deliveryman was sentenced to four weeks’ jail on Monday (July 13), after pleading guilty to repeatedly shouting vulgarities at two safe distancing enforcement officers and throwing objects at them during the Covid-19 circuit breaker period.

Muhammad Adimin Kemton was not wearing a face mask when the officers spotted him leaving a shop near Block 18, Upper Boon Keng Road on April 26.

He told them that he did not have a mask and was just buying a few items before heading back home, the court heard.

He told officers he would put on his friend’s mask, to which one of the officers replied that his friend would then not have a mask on.  

Angered by this, Adimin began verbally abusing them and then stormed off to buy a packet of disposable masks at a nearby store. 

After his purchase, he confronted the two officers and shouted more vulgarities at them. 

In one of the six short video clips of the incident that were played in court, Adimin could be seen yelling, “Eh, what you want, what you want? Take some more photo, take, ah, take, ah (sic)” as he walked towards the officers.

He also shoved one of his newly purchased masks in the face of the officer from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and charged at the other victim, a safe distancing ambassador from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

After throwing a used ice-cream stick at the SFA officer, he picked it up and threw it at her once more while shouting numerous Hokkien vulgarities.

A while later, he threw the packet of masks at the MOH officer’s face. 

He then left with his friends and continued shouting vulgarities as he walked away. 

The MOH officer FILED a police report later that evening.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Jane Lim revealed that Adimin had been jailed and fined twice in 2010 for theft offences. In 2012 and 2015, he was also sent to the Drug Rehabilitation Centre for consuming a specified drug.

He was placed on probation in 2006 when he was about 16 years old for stealing a motorcycle.

DPP Lim, who sought the sentence imposed, noted that while Adimin did not make direct bodily contact with the officers, his act of throwing the objects at the officers was “humiliating and degrading” and should not be treated less seriously.

The altercation had drawn a crowd as well and the officers were performing their duties during an “unprecedented crisis”, the prosecutor said.

In mitigation, Adimin said through an interpreter that he gets “agitated easily” sometimes over simple matters. 

“My children are under foster care for three years. I have many problems. I am unable to focus,” he told the court, adding that his wife is pregnant and he would like to make arrangements for her.

He will begin serving his sentence on Aug 3 and remains out on bail of S$10,000.

For using criminal force on a public servant, he could have been jailed up to four years or fined, or both. 

For using abusive words on a public servant, he could have been jailed up to a year or fined up to S$5,000, or both.