Gang member, 21, found guilty of slashing man, rioting at St James nightclub
A secret society member who was involved in the slashing of one man and an attack on three others was convicted in the State Courts on Wednesday (27 September).
Leow Zheng Yang, 21, pleaded guilty to three charges of rioting, voluntarily causing hurt and being part of an unlawful society. He is a member of the “Sio Kun Tong” secret society group, also known as the “369” gang.
The court heard that on 10 August last year, Leow and fellow gang member Peter Nicholas Hamsha had gone to Club ION at Balmoral Plaza to slash Loo Kean Boon, a former member of a rival gang.
Leow had told his fellow gang members – including its headman Ah Yong – that he had been beaten up by Loo and a few others sometime in 2016 at the St James Power Station nightclub following a staring incident.
At around midnight, Ah Yong called Leow to inform him that Loo had been spotted at Club ION. Leow then met Hamsha at Mustafa Centre after both had gone home to change their attire in order to disguise themselves. Hamsha brought knives with him, which they intended to use on Loo.
Leow and Hamsha reached the club at around 2am, and were let in by its bouncers after Hamsha claimed that he had friends inside. The duo spotted Loo, and discreetly approached him. Hamsha slashed Loo twice from behind, on the victim’s neck and head. Loo responded by raising his hand to cover his face and tried pushing Hamsha away as the latter continued swinging his knife indiscriminately.
Leow then rushed in from behind Hamsha and slashed Loo’s face and the back of his head at least once. Both Leow and Hamsha then fled the scene. The pair were chased by Loo’s friend but managed to escape by hailing a taxi. Hamsha lied to the taxi driver that they were being chased by someone with a knife, which prompted the cabby to immediately drive off.
Loo lost consciousness and was conveyed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he underwent surgery. He was later informed that he would likely suffer some disability in his right ring finger due to nerve damage.
Both Hamsha and Leow stopped at Boss Hotel where they met fellow gang member Adelson Lee Soon San. It was there that Leow realised he had lost his knife. Fearing arrest, Leow decided to flee to Malaysia the next day with Lee’s help. Hamsha joined Leow the next day, but both returned to Singapore two weeks later when they ran out of money.
Police were initially unable to establish the identities of Loo’s attackers and the knives used were not found.
Second offence
On 31 August 2016, Leow was part of a group of at least 10 people who beat up three men at St James Power Station. The group were unhappy over how one of the victim’s had answered them when they asked about his involvement in a gang.
Deeming the answer arrogant, they then set upon the three men by kicking and punching them. All three suffered multiple injuries and were given outpatient leave at the Singapore General Hospital.
Leow was arrested the following day and was questioned about the Club ION attack during police interviews. Hamsha’s DNA was also found in the taxi that he and Leow had escaped in after the earlier incident.
Hamsha was eventually arrested in October 2016, and both finally confessed to their crimes following multiple interviews with the police. Hamsha was sentenced in July this year to a jail term of four years and six months, along with six strokes of the cane.
Leow is expected to be sentenced on 13 October. Yahoo News Singapore understands that the prosecution is pushing for at least five years’ imprisonment.
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