SINGAPORE, Oct 11 — When Amirul Asyraff Muhammad Junus asked his fellow gang member for advice on how to take revenge on their rivals for beating up his ex-wife, the other man smuggled a pistol and bullets into Singapore from Johor Baru.
However, Amirul ultimately decided not to accept or use the illegal semi-automatic Seahawk pistol after changing his mind about the revenge plan.
The 27-year-old Singaporean pleaded guilty on Monday (Oct 11) to consorting with a person carrying arms, as well as an unrelated charge of carrying a truncheon in a public place.
He will be sentenced on Dec 1 and remains out on bail. Three other charges for road traffic and drug offences will be taken into consideration for sentencing.
His accomplice and fellow gang member, Muhammad Ikram Abdul Aziz, 26, was sentenced to seven years and 10 months’ jail and six strokes of the cane in March this year after pleading guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm under the Arms Offences Act — the first such case since 2009.
Amirul kept the pistol and ammunition in his Jurong West flat for seven months. He was only nabbed when Central Narcotics Bureau officers raided his home on the suspicion that he had taken drugs.
Ikram bought gun for Amirul’s protection
The court heard the men met at the Institute of Technical Education College West in 2012. They also played football for the under-18 team of Tanjong Pagar United Football Club.
Around 2016, Ikram joined the Sio Kun Tong secret society. Amirul followed suit about two years later.
In January 2019, Amirul learned that a man known as “Faris” had beaten up his ex-wife outside the Baliza nightclub in Marina Square mall.
She told him that “Faris” had also declared he was from “Teck Whye” gang.
Amirul told Ikram about this, wanting to take revenge on behalf of his ex-wife. Ikram told him not to act rashly and that he would help him, but added that he had a young daughter and did not want to get into a fight.
Ikram then decided to buy a gun for their safety, as well as to scare the Teck Whye members and show that Amirul could not be bullied.
In February 2019 during a trip with his parents, Ikram bought a gun in Johor Baru.
When Amirul went to his home the next month, he was shocked to see the pistol.
Ikram told Amirul he could not reach him in time if he was in trouble as they lived far apart so he thought the pistol was the easiest way to help.
Deputy Public Prosecutors (DPPs) Norine Tan and Zhou Yang told the court: “Ikram asked Amirul if he wanted to bring the pistol home and Amirul refused.
“They got into an argument as Amirul expected Ikram to protect him. On the other hand, Ikram felt that this was Amirul’s personal matter.”
Declined to bring gun for settlement talk
In the subsequent months, Amirul was allegedly assaulted by members from the Teck Whye secret society, among other incidents.
Ikram asked if he wanted him to bring the pistol for a settlement talk with the gang but Amirul declined. He told Ikram that he had not decided if he wanted to take revenge on Faris and the Teck Whye gang members on behalf of his ex-wife.
On Oct 8, 2019, CNB officers detained Ikram at the void deck of Block 731 Jurong West Street 72 for suspected drug offences.
One of the officers then discovered four bullets in a glove, kept in a box on the highest shelf of a cupboard in one of the bedrooms in Ikram’s house. Another officer then found the loaded gun, including the magazine with another four bullets, in another cabinet.
Amirul had been caught the month before at the Woodlands Checkpoint. Checkpoint officers found a yellow nightstick — the truncheon — in his motorcycle box.
Amirul said he had found it in his flat and taken it with him to Malaysia for protection.
The prosecution asked for the mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ jail and six strokes of the cane for his consorting offence, as well as a short jail sentence for possessing a truncheon.
His lawyer Amarick Gill agreed with this, asking for the sentence to be deferred as Amirul’s wife will be giving birth later this month. District Judge Kok Shu En then adjourned sentencing to allow for this.
Those convicted of consorting with a person unlawfully carrying an arm can be jailed for up to 10 years and given at least six strokes of the cane. — TODAY
