SINGAPORE, July 13 — A 30-year-old food deliveryman was sentenced to four weeks’ jail today after pleading guilty to repeatedly hurling vulgarities at two safe distancing enforcement officers and throwing objects at them during the Covid-19 circuit breaker period.
Muhammad Adimin Kemton was not wearing a face mask when the officers spotted him leaving a shop near Block 18, Upper Boon Keng Road on April 26.
He told them that he did not have a mask and was only buying a few items before heading back home, the court heard.
He told officers he would just put on his friend’s mask, to which one of the officers replied that his friend would then not have a mask on.
Angered by this, Adimin began verbally abusing them and then stormed off to buy a packet of disposable masks at a nearby store.
After his purchase, he confronted the two officers and hurled more abuse at them.
In one of the six short video clips of the infraction that were played in court, Adimin could be seen yelling: “Eh, what you want, what you want? Take some more photo, take ah take ah (sic)” as he walked towards the officers.
He also shoved one of his newly-purchased masks in the Ministry of Health officer’s face and charged at the other victim, a safe distancing ambassador from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).
After throwing a used ice cream stick at the SFA officer, he picked it up and threw it at her once more while shouting numerous Hokkien vulgarities.
A while later, he threw the packet of masks at the MOH officer’s face.
He then left with his friends and continued shouting vulgarities as he walked away.
The MOH officer lodged a police report later that evening.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Jane Lim revealed that he had been jailed and fined twice in 2010 for theft offences. In 2012 and 2015, he was also sent to the Drug Rehabilitation Centre for consuming a specified drug.
He was placed on probation in 2006 when he was about 16 years old for stealing a motorcycle.
DPP Lim, who sought the sentence imposed, noted that while Adimin did not make direct bodily contact with the officers, his act of throwing the objects at the officers was “humiliating and degrading” and should not be treated less seriously.
The altercation had drawn a crowd as well and the officers were performing their duties during an “unprecedented crisis”, the prosecutor said.
In mitigation, Adimin said through an interpreter that he gets “agitated easily” sometimes over simple matters.
“My children are under foster care for already three years. I have a lot of problems, I am unable to focus,” he told the court, adding that his wife is pregnant and he would like to make arrangements for her.
He will begin serving his sentence on August 3 and remains out on bail of S$10,000 (RM30,691.83).
For using criminal force on a public servant, he could have been jailed up to four years, fined or both.
For using abusive words on a public servant, he could have been jailed up to a year, fined up to S$5,000 or receive both penalties. — TODAY
