by Elena Chong
AN UNEMPLOYED man who stabbed a cabby in the neck was jailed for
30 months on Wednesday.
Community Court judge Ng Peng Hong told K. Mohan that he had not
ordered caning because of the latter's mental condition. The
49-year-old, who is suffering from schizophrenia, had earlier
admitted to voluntarily causing hurt to Mr Ngoh Chin Boon, 33, with
a knife at the void deck of Block 26 Sin Ming Industrial Sector A
on Aug 1, 2009. As a result of the attack, Mr Ngoh has lost his
voice.
The court heard that he was playing chess with retiree Mr Chan
Keng Mun, 64, at the void deck, while Mohan was drinking beer with
his friend nearby. Sometime between 11pm and 11.10pm, Mr Ngoh heard
Mohan shouting and swearing into his mobile phone. As he wanted to
concentrate on his game, the cabby told Mohan not to talk too
loudly or the police might come.
During a heated argument, Mohan swung a beer bottle at Mr Ngoh
who pushed him, causing Mohan to fall. Mohan stood up and briskly
left the void deck. He returned a few minutes later with a knife to
attack Mr Ngoh, who tried to run and ward off the knife but was
slashed.
Mohan's friend came and pulled him away. Mohan's lawyer Suresh
Damodara said his client needed help and long-term treatment.
He said Mohan was upset and emotionally stressed after his
girlfriend had told him on the phone that she had aborted their
child. Mohan could have been jailed for up to five years or fined
or caned or received any two of the punishments.