SINGAPORE: A recalcitrant offender, who had been released from prison less than two years ago, unexpectedly encountered his estranged friend and engaged in a hostile confrontation. In a fit of anger, he brandished a scaffolding iron pipe obtained from a nearby construction site, relentlessly chasing his friend while threatening to end his life.
The defendant, Nagarajan Abraham, faced a series of charges, including intentional injury, mischief, and violation of the Prevention of Harassment Act. On 9 June, he received a sentence of five weeks’ imprisonment and a fine of 500 yuan.
The court heard that the defendant and the victim were previously friends but had a falling out approximately seven years ago. On 20 Sept 2022, while intoxicated, the defendant encountered the victim at a residential flat in Serangoon Avenue 2.
Fuelled by his inebriated state, he ventured to a nearby construction site where he procured the iron pipe. He pursued the victim, hurling insults and threatening to end his life.
Gripped by fear, the victim swiftly fled to his home and promptly alerted the authorities.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that the defendant possessed a substantial criminal record and had committed another offence shortly after his release from prison in 2021. During the height of the pandemic, he failed to wear a mask while boarding a bus.
Despite complying with the bus captain’s instructions to wear a mask, he deemed the bus driver to be travelling too hastily, leading him to subject the driver to a barrage of insults throughout the journey. Eventually, the driver reached their tolerance threshold and stopped the bus to seek assistance from their superior.
The defendant was also involved in a physical altercation in May last year with an unfamiliar 44-year-old man at a coffee shop on Jurong Business District Road. The incident arose from a brief staring incident, leading them both to be hospitalised after suffering injuries.
The defendant made a plea for leniency, expressing that he was his family’s primary breadwinner and faced significant financial responsibilities, including mortgage payments. He attributed his criminal actions to distress following the loss of his job and the consumption of alcohol and implored the judge to impose a lighter sentence.
The presiding judge highlighted that the defendant had already served time for previous instances of insulting public officials. However, due to his evident lack of remorse, the severity of the sentence escalated this time.