SINGAPORE, Dec 1 — A 27-year-old man convicted of consorting with a fellow gang member who smuggled a pistol into Singapore from Malaysia to scare a rival gang was sentenced today to five years and two weeks’ jail, as well as six strokes of the cane.
Amirul Asyraff Muhammad Junus, a member of the 369 or Sio Kun Tong secret society, asked a senior member in his gang for advice after learning that a rival gang member had beat up his ex-wife.
The senior, Muhammad Ikram Abdul Aziz, then bought a semi-automatic Seahawk pistol and bullets in Johor Baru, Malaysia and smuggled them into Singapore.
Although Amirul refused to accept the pistol, he continued meeting and communicating with him.
Amirul had pleaded guilty on October 11 to consorting with a person carrying arms and an unrelated charge of carrying a truncheon in a public place. Three other charges for road traffic and drug offences were taken into consideration for sentencing.
During the October court hearing, the prosecution asked for the mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ jail and six strokes of the cane for Amirul’s 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 that month. District Judge Kok Shu En then adjourned sentencing to allow for this.
Ikram, 26, meanwhile 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.
About the case
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 2017, Ikram joined the Sio Kun Tong secret society with Amirul joining some time 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. His ex-wife told him that Faris had declared that he was a member of the “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.
The following month, Ikram 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.
When Amirul went to Ikram’s home the next month, he was shocked to see the pistol.
Ikram told Amirul that he could not reach him in time if he was in trouble since 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 take 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.”
In the subsequent months, Amirul was allegedly assaulted by members from the Teck Whye secret society, among other incidents.
Ikram asked if Amirul wanted him to take along 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 October 8 in 2019, CNB officers detained Ikram at the void deck of Block 731 Jurong West Street 72 for suspected drug offences.
The officers then discovered the gun and the bullets in the flat he was living in.
Amirul had been caught the month before at the Woodlands Checkpoint. Officers there found a yellow nightstick — the truncheon — in his motorcycle box.
Amirul said that he had taken it with him to Malaysia for protection.
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
