Man who threw Molotov cocktail at police given 7 years' preventive detention and caning

A Singaporean man who hurled a Molotov cocktail at police officers armed with riot shields, causing the homemade bomb to explode inside his flat, was sentenced to seven years of preventive detention and three strokes of the cane on Friday (28 July).

Lai Yew Han, 37, was convicted earlier this month of one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt and four counts of criminally intimidating four police officers.

This was after a three-day trial from 28 to 30 June where 10 prosecution witnesses, including the officers whom Lai threw the cocktails at, testified against Lai. A body worn camera by a police officer captured the incident, which happened on 28 May last year.

Police had first reacted to a call from Lai’s sister, who claimed that her brother had “gone crazy”. Police officers arrived at Lai’s Marine Parade flat. One of them testified that when he tried to enter the flat, Lai took a glass bottle containing a liquid from a table in the living room and made a motion as if he was ready to throw the bottle at the officer.

When the officer asked Lai to put down the bottle, Lai refused and asked the officer to put down the gun instead. He also told the officer, “If you really want to try, I will try” in an aggressive manner. The officer’s body-worn camera captured the altercation.

Another officer, Sergeant Daniel Kwok, who was trained to use riot shields, later arrived at the scene. Sergeant Kwok was instructed by his team leader to get a shield as the officers feared that Lai would throw the bottle at them.

As Sergeant Kwok entered the flat with the shield, he saw Lai, who was about two metres away from him, lighting the cloth on the bottle with the flame from a lamp on the coffee table. Lai then threw the bottle at Sergeant Kwok’s shield.

Bodyworn camera footage admitted to the court as evidence showed that the bottle hit the lower part of Sergeant Kwok’s shield and burst into flames. The flames engulfed the entrance of the unit and spread to the corridor.

In response, Sergeant Kwok threw the shield and moved to the left of the corridor to avoid the explosion. He later grabbed another shield and moved into the unit where he placed Lai under arrest.

No one was hurt in the incident. Sergeant Kwok’s shield, which was blackened with soot marks at the bottom, was admitted as evidence in court.

The incident that day was not Lai’s first brush with the police. Lai had threatened police officers on a separate occasion, which occurred two months earlier. On 27 March 2016, police had received a call about residents who complained of smoke coming from the building.

Singapore Civil Defence Officers (SCDF) officers who arrived upon the scene found a burnt rubbish chute and some burnt medication under the block. A police officer was threatened by Lai when he spoke to him through a window.

Lai told the officer that he was “tua peh kong” and that he made drugs inside his flat. The officer left to inform his colleagues about his findings. He returned a while later to talk to Lai, but this time, Lai closed the gate and pushed a coffee table against the metal gate to prevent him from coming in.

Lai then retrieved a clear bottle containing an unknown liquid, corked with a piece of white cloth and a saucer with a lit flame. Holding these items in his hand, Lai threatened the officer in a mix of Hokkien and Mandarin, “If you all try to enter by force, I will perish together with all of you.”

The prosecution said that the officer felt “threatened, shocked and intimidated as a result, as he feared [Lai] would throw the items at him”.

Later that day, when another officer came to talk to Lai at about 6.45pm, Lai approached the door holding a bunsen burner and a transparent glass bottle filled with brownish liquid. Lai repeated his threat to throw the bottle.

In Lai’s statement after his arrest, Lai admitted the glass bottle contained motorcycle oil, a flammable liquid capable of causing serious harm, or even death. He said this was to “keep officers away” as he did not want to be arrested again.

During the trial, Lai, who is unrepresented, sought to defend himself by casting aspersions at the police, whom he claimed were trying to “set him up”. He also claimed that he was protecting his mother and sister from the people at his door who could have been “villains disguised as police officers”. He also claimed that the police were using the shield to “induce danger”.

At one point, Lai claimed that the incident was an “unfortunate misadventure” as he had wanted to throw the bottle outside the flat, only that the police were in the way.

The prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Wen Hsien, Daphne Lim and Dillon Kok, said that Lai has “sought to deny responsibility and push blame for his actions” despite being confronted with “clear and unequivocal evidence against him”.

“He has accused the police of planning to cause his death, of playing the fool and of being in contempt of court,” said Tan.

The DPP sought for preventive detention and at least three strokes of the cane to be imposed on Lai, citing a report which said that Lai was at a high risk of criminal reoffending. Tan said that Lai was a recalcitrant offender who was a menace to the public.

Lai was also convicted of voluntarily causing hurt in 2009, for which he was sentenced to 21 months’ jail. He was also sentenced for other drug-related offences in 2004.

When asked if he had anything to say, Lai told the court that the prosecutors were “corrupted” and that he intended to appeal his case.

In passing the sentence, District Judge John Ng said, “It is fairly clear that you are a menace to the safety and security of those around you, including your family.”