Man who attacked victims with knife and knuckle duster jailed, caned
He was involved in two separate vicious attacks, where he used a knife and a knuckle duster with an attached knife to attack several victims. While out on bail for one of his attacks, he committed armed robbery against an elderly man.
For his offences, Muhammad Muhaimin Kasim, 25, was sentenced to 11 years and six months’ jail and 20 strokes of the cane on Wednesday (11 July).
Muhaimin pleaded guilty in the State Courts to three charges on 27 March: rioting with a deadly weapon, voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a weapon, and voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery.
Court documents show that Muhaimin was out drinking with four friends in Postbar, at 3 Sentosa Gateway, when M Visnukanth, 19, bumped into a member of Muhaimin’s group on 11 June 2016 and a dispute arose.
After leaving the club a while later, Visnukanth was attacked by the group. He was stabbed once with a knife and left lying on the ground.
At this time, a bystander, Divagaran Kesavan, 18, was coming out of the club when he was suddenly pushed and punched by one of Muhaimin’s friends. Muhaimin then stabbed Divagaran twice on the chest with a knife.
Another bystander, Jamal Razeen Abdul Ghani, 18, was smoking outside the club when the fight was ongoing. Jamal was then assaulted by a club bouncer.
Jamal’s acquaintance, Prasad Krishnan, 19, happened to be smoking nearby. Prasad rushed forward to help Jamal but some members of Muhaimin’s group attacked him, leaving him with deep wounds on the mouth and shoulder. Prasad’s wife pulled him to safety and the couple fled.
The group then turned their attention to Jamal. Muhaimin slashed him on the back and head in the ensuing attack. Jamal suffered from a cut on his upper back and a degloving of the top of his head.
In a separate incident on 25 July 2016, Muhaimin attacked Muhammad Sholihiin Nick Yusni, 20, with a knuckle duster that had a knife attached to it. He had believed Sholihiin was a member of a rival gang called “Phantom”.
While Sholihiin was playing sepak takraw with his friends at Pasir Ris Street 51, Muhaimin ran onto the court with his weapon raised. Sholihiin denied he was from the gang and tried to escape but Muhaimin caught up and slashed him on the back twice.
Sholihiin sustained a laceration on his back and other injuries. He was hospitalised for two days and given 24 days of hospitalisation leave upon his discharge.
Muhaimin was charged on 27 July that year for his attack on Sholihiin and was released on bail.
But Muhaimin wasn’t deterred from reoffending – after he was out drinking with a friend, he attacked another person on the morning of 14 October.
The duo were on their way to buy contraband cigarettes when they saw Ip Wai Keung, a 55-year-old tour guide, walking towards them along Lorong 8 Geylang. Muhaimin told Ip that he wanted to rob him and slashed him on the face with a flick knife.
Muhaimin grabbed Ip’s sling back, which contained about $1,000, while his friend punched and kicked Ip. The duo ran away, prompting Ip to give chase, but they were able to escape. With the help of passers-by, Ip managed to retrieve his bag.
As a result of the attack, Ip sustained permanent facial scars.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Houston Johannus told the court that Muhaimin had previously been jailed for two years and six months in 2014 for rioting and using a dangerous weapon to cause hurt. The robbery was committed while Muhaimin was out on bail, said the prosector, who asked for at least 12 years’ jail and 20 strokes of the cane.
Muhaimin’s lawyer, Gino Hardial Singh, said during mitigation that his client has a whole life ahead of him and asked for 10 years’ jail and 18 strokes of the cane.
District Judge Kenneth Yap said in court before sentencing that Muhaimin’s attacks were “very vicious” and “senseless acts of violence” against innocent victims.
