Man jailed and caned for robbing jewellery wholesaler
He failed to rob a jewellery wholesaler and fled from the scene. But he returned for a second attempt after an accomplice started attacking the victim with a wooden stick.
Venkatachalapathy Raman, a 48-year-old Indian national, succeeded in wresting a haversack containing jewellery from his victim, Yelchur Sreenivas, on his second try.
Raman, who works as a driver, was sentenced to four years, three months’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane after he admitted to one count of committing robbery with common intention on Thursday (2 November).
The cases against Raman’s two alleged accomplices, Srinath Bari, 52, and Hassan, 36, are pending. Bari, who is said to have attacked Sreenivas with the stick, is expected to be dealt with later this month, while Hassan, who allegedly acted as a lookout, is expected to claim trial.
Investigations showed that Raman, who has been in Singapore for the past 20 years, had identified Sreenivas as a potential robbery target as he knew that Sreenivas was in the jewellery business. He enlisted the help of Bari and Hassan for the robbery.
The incident occurred around midnight on 25 May last year when Sreenivas, who was carrying his haversack, was heading home from a coffeeshop at St George’s Road. While walking on the foot path near Towner Road, he felt someone pulling his haversack. He turned to see Raman tugging at the bag.
Sreenivas resisted and Raman shoved him to the ground. Raman pulled the bag but failed to wrench it from Sreenivas. He bolted after a while.
After getting back on his feet, Sreenivas was attacked by Bari with a wooden stick. Bari hit Sreenivas on the shoulder three to four times from the back while Raman returned to grab the haversack.
Bari and Raman then fled with the haversack, which contained loose diamonds, gold studs and sapphires worth some $31,980. Apart from the jewellery, there were about $6,617.40 in cash, four 18K gold pens valued at $4,000 and a POSB ATM card in the haversack.
Sreenivas filed a police report about half an hour after the incident and later visited Tan Tock Seng Hospital for treatment. He sustained bruises on his upper back, chest and arms, and abrasions.
Raman was arrested on 26 May at an industrial building in the Balestier Road area where he had the haversack with him. All the items, except $6,600 in cash, were recovered from the haversack. No restitution of the stolen cash has been made.
Bari and Hassan were arrested on 17 August last year and 11 May this year, respectively.
The prosecution asked for four years’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane for Raman, describing him as the mastermind behind the scheme. It pointed out that Raman was also the first person to attack the victim.
Raman said in mitigation that he was supporting his aged parents and a 16-year-old son who required surgery.
District Judge Lim Keng Yeow said that the seriousness of the offence called for a higher sentence than the minimum mandatory punishment of three years’ jail. Raman could have been jailed up to 14 years and given at least 12 strokes of the cane.
