A LAWYER was fined a total of $8,000 on Wednesday for disturbing a religious worship at a mosque, using abusive words and mischief.
M. Ravi, 40, pleaded guilty to four offences at Masjid Jamae Chulia and Sri Mariamman temple at South Bridge Road last August.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Tse Haw told a Community Court Ravi shouted 'Allahu Akbar'' a number of times while prayers were being said at the mosque on Aug 3.
An imam also heard him repeat loudly after him the verses of the Holy Quran he was reciting for the congregation, thus causing disturbance to the assembly.
After the prayers ended, a few worshippers advised Ravi not to disturb the prayer session and to leave, but he refused.
The police were called.
DPP Lim said Ravi then hurled abusive words in Tamil with intent to cause distress to Mr Abdul Majeed Manoorgani, 77, a retiree who performed prayers regularly at the mosque. Ravi left later.
Thirteen days later, Ravi turned up at Sri Mariamman temple praying and singing religious songs. When he got into a dispute with a man inside the temple, both were told to settle their dispute outside.
Ravi returned later and told a group of tourists not to give money to the temple. He then kicked and damaged the temple's signboard.
On Aug, Ravi went back to the temple and pushed the metal barricades from the middle of the main prayer hall to the side. The barricades were placed there to separate the female and male temple devotees.
Ravi went over to the entrance and lifted four main sign boards and threw them into a pit, causing damage of $1,800.
He has since paid for the damage and apologised to the temple.
His lawyer, Ms Christina Goh, said Ravi had a relapse of his bipolar disorder at the time.
