2 men charged over attack on bus captain who told them to wear masks properly

Singapore – Two men got angry after being told by a bus captain to wear their masks properly. So they attacked him while he was still at the wheel.

Facebook page ROADS.sg uploaded a video of the incident on Thursday (Nov 4). Aziz Khan Sher Khan, 61, and Ahmad Robinson, 70, allegedly kicked and punched the bus captain, fracturing his nose.

They were on board a bus in Loyang Avenue on Tuesday (Nov 2) at around 10:50 am when the bus captain told them to wear their masks properly.

The video showed the bus captain seated on the bus, shielding his head with his hand while a man standing beside him.

At one point, the man apparently hits the driver on the head.

Bedok Police Division police officers identified and arrested the men on the same day, reported The Straits Times.

They were charged in court on Wednesday (Nov 3) for ganging up against bus driver Hew Kim Keong and causing grievous hurt.

Khan had been released from prison in 2020 after serving a sentence for an undisclosed offence, the court was told.

He was on a remission order which required him to stay out of trouble from May 5, 2020, to Jan 12, 2022.

It means that if he is found to have assaulted Mr Hew, he would have breached the remission order and could add another 72 days behind bars to whatever punishment he receives should he be convicted and jailed

Police noted that the two men are also being investigated for non-compliance with safe distancing measures.

They were offered bail of S$15,000 each, and their cases have been adjourned to Dec 1.

If convicted of voluntarily causing grievous hurt, offenders can be imprisoned for up to 10 years, fined or caned.

In a Facebook pose on Wednesday, transport operator Go-Ahead Singapore said that there wre two separate incidents of verbal and physical assault on its bus captains while performing their duties.

Mr Hew’s was one of the two incidents reported.

Both bus captains were  conscious when they were taken to hospital by ambulance. Neither was seriously hurt,  the company said.

“Both incidents occurred as our bus captains were looking out for the safety of their passengers, reminding them on proper mask-wearing and to hold onto the grab pole on the crowded bus,” said Go-Ahead.

“It is preposterous that these acts of diligence resulted in them being assaulted,” it noted, condemning the acts.

Go-Ahead did not disclose further details on the other incident.

“Our bus captains are dedicated to carrying out their duties so that commuters can enjoy safe and reliable journeys; it is inexcusable that they are subject to such abhorrent behaviour in the course of their work.”/TISG

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