Gang chief jailed 42 months, caned 18 strokes

[chobolan]

Gang chief jailed 42 months, caned 18 strokes
By Shaffiq Alkhatib | Posted: 02 December 2010 1715 hrs
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SINGAPORE: The headman of a secret society was sentenced to 42 months' jail and given 18 strokes of the cane for offences including being part of an unlawful assembly that attacked a 16-year-old boy.

Twenty-eight-year-old Mohammed Hussein Mohammed Kassim and five other men attacked Rashvin Ravindran with a knife at a playground near Block 511, Jurong West Street 51 at around 4.20pm on 14 August.

Hussein, who is the headman of the 18 Sio Ghi Ho secret society, directed the assault.

The fight broke out after a member of his group accused Rashvin of calling his friend a "dog".

They then attacked the boy before he even had the chance to answer.

As a result, Rashvin suffered injuries to his neck and head, and was sent to hospital for treatment.

Just about two hours before the assault, Hussein and at least 13 of his associates were at Jurong West Street 52 waiting to ambush another group of men.

Members of Hussein's group were armed with knives and a knuckle duster.

The headman had personally planned the attack to take place at a street soccer court.

However, he aborted it as he found that there were too many passers-by in the area.

The 13 youths, aged between 14 and 21, were charged with the crime.

Three of them have already been dealt with in court.

A 14-year-old boy was sent to the Singapore Boys' Home for rehabilitation while his 15-year-old accomplice was put on probation.

They cannot be named due to their age.

Another member of the group, 20-year-old Maria Dass Pandi Rasan, was sentenced to 24 months' jail and given six strokes of the cane.

Besides these, Hussein was also caught with a sickle and a flick knife in his flat at around 12.15pm on 16 August.

Police seized the weapons after officers raided his home at Block 118, Corporation Drive, in Taman Jurong that day.

The plump, heavily inked Hussein - who sports several tattoos on his face - was seen smiling to his family members in the gallery as the authorities led him away.

For the rioting charge, he could have been jailed up to ten years on top of the caning.

- CNA/ir

 

[Cao Pi]

Dec 2, 2010

CRACKDOWN ON YOUTH GANGS
Gang leader jailed, caned

By Khushwant Singh

A GROUP of 13 went to play a football match in Jurong West on Aug 14 this year armed with knives and a knuckle duster. Among them was Mohammed Hussein Mohammed Kassim. At 28, he was the oldest and a district court also heard that he was the headman of 18 Sio Ghi Ho gang.

On Thursday, the unemployed man was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in jail and 18 strokes of the cane. He had pleaded guilty to ganging up with five others to attack student Rashvin Ravindran, 16, and to being part of an unlawful assembly intending to attack a rival group with weapons.

He also admitted to possessing a flick knife and a sickle in his room. Investigations revealed that on Aug 7, Mohammed Hussein's friends had played football with another group in Bishan. It was agreed the winning team would collect $50 from the loser but a dispute over payment broke out after the friends lost.

A return match was then arranged in Jurong West the following week with the wager increased to $180 but the group went there armed with knives and a knuckle duster. Mohammed Hussein had planned to attack the other group at the street soccer court but this had to be aborted as there were too many residents walking by.

Instead he and five others loitered at a nearby playground and when Rashvin and a friend passed by, they accused the duo of insulting them. They pounced on Rashvin and rained punches and kicks before slashing him. When police arrested Mohammed Hussein in his flat in Corporation Drive on Aug 16, they found a flick knife and the sickle in his room.