Volunteer instructor gets six-month jail term for ACS(I) student's death on a high-element rope course in 2021
He had failed to conduct a physical check on the 15-year-old teen's harness before allowing him to go onto the course at SAFRA Yishun
SINGAPORE — A volunteer instructor was sentenced to six months' jail by the State Courts on Monday (15 Jan) in connection to the death of 15-year-old student, Jethro Puah Xin Yang, who fell from a high-element obstacle course at SAFRA Yishun in 2021.
CNA reported that Muhammad Nurul Hakim Mohamed Din, 23, neglected to conduct a physical check on the harness of the Secondary 4 student from Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), resulting in the unbuckling of the teenager's leg loops after the fall.
Nurul Hakim pleaded guilty to an amended charge of causing grievous harm through a rash act. He was initially charged with a more severe offence involving a rash act not amounting to culpable homicide, causing Jethro's death.
Adventure instructor did not physically check harness
CNA reported Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Chong saying that Nurul Hakim was the adventure instructor overseeing a high-element challenge rope course at SAFRA Adventure Sports Centre in Yishun.
As a volunteer with Camelot, an outdoor adventure learning company, he had been involved in such activities since 2017 and completed an adventure instructor course in November 2020.
The incident occurred during an outdoor adventure experiential programme organised by ACS(I) on 3 and 4 February 2021. The programme involved the completion of three obstacles on the lower tier of the rope course.
Jethro and 27 other students underwent a safety briefing for instructions on handling falls, wearing helmets, and securing full-body harnesses attached to belaying devices via safety cables. Nurul Hakim was responsible for conducting a final check on students before sending them out.
Despite being a first-time dispatcher, Nurul Hakim should have physically tested the leg loops of three participants ahead of Jethro. Instead, he only visually inspected their harnesses, and also failed to physically check Jethro's harness, merely observing that it appeared secure.
DPP Ng highlighted that Jethro's leg loops were not properly buckled and adjusted, a fact known to Nurul Hakim, posing a "real risk" to Jethro's safety.
After completing the first obstacle, Jethro encountered trouble on the second - a postman walk involving walking sideways on a metal cable while holding onto a rope. He slipped and, while suspended by his harness, struggled to get back on the metal cable despite instructions. It was observed that his leg loops were loose and had risen from his thighs to his waist.
Attempts to save teenager after harness failure
Efforts by the instructors to hoist Jethro up failed, with the loose leg loops hindering his ability to climb back onto the obstacle, according to CNA.
In response to his distress, instructors secured safety lines around his chest and under his armpits to prevent a fall. Programme overseer Umar Abdul Ghani Taufiq Siraj intervened, instructing that Jethro be taken to a tower, where Nurul Hakim noted Jethro's pale face, blue fingers, and signs of panic and gasping for air. Despite attempts to pull him up, Jethro lost consciousness about eight minutes after the fall.
Umar directed the deployment of a rescue bag to belay Jethro to the ground, but difficulties arose as Jethro slipped off his harness. Another instructor had to secure Jethro to himself before lowering them both down. By this time, more than half an hour had elapsed since the fall, and Jethro had stopped breathing with no pulse.
After instructors initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation, paramedics from the Singapore Civil Defence Force took over before transferring Jethro to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. Scans revealed severe brain injury due to oxygen deprivation and a fracture in the anterior neck bone supporting the airway.
Despite medical efforts, Jethro experienced severe heart failure, liver injury, and significant muscle damage. He died on 4 Feb 2021 from multi-organ failure resulting from suffocation.
A forensic examination of Jethro's harness determined its functionality; when worn properly, it would not ascend when suspended.
Prosecutor sought six to eight months in jail for instructor
DPP Ng recommended a six to eight-month jail term for Nurul Hakim, emphasising the critical need for thorough checks in a high-risk activity, especially since he could have been the first and last person to inspect the participant before the course.
The starting point, approximately five storeys above the ground, was "high risk". DPP Ng stressed the accused's duty to prioritise safety, stating there was no justification for skipping a physical check.
Nurul Hakim's lawyer, Azri Imran Tan, highlighted his client's remorse for the incident and sought a more lenient sentence of no more than four to six months' jail. He attributed the lapse to a poor split-second judgment rather than a deliberate, calculated approach to risk.
District Judge Lee Lit Cheng noted that Nurul Hakim's decision not to conduct a physical check resulted in a "needless loss of life", highlighting the importance of not taking safety measures lightly.
For rash act causing grievous hurt, Nurul Hakim could have been jailed for up to four years, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.
Both Camelot and one of its employees have also been charged in connection with the incident, with their cases currently pending.
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