<!-- by line -->
On Thursday, the unemployed man was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in
jail and 18 strokes of the cane. He had pleaded guilty to ganging
up with five others to attack student Rashvin Ravindran, 16, and to
being part of an unlawful assembly intending to attack a rival
group with weapons. He also admitted to possessing a flick knife
and a sickle in his room.
Investigations revealed that on Aug 7, Mohammed Hussein's
friends had played football with another group in Bishan. It was
agreed the winning team would collect $50 from the loser but a
dispute over payment broke out after the friends lost.
A return match was then arranged in Jurong West the following
week with the wager increased to $180 but the group went there
armed with knives and a knuckle duster.
Mohammed Hussein had planned to attack the other group at the
street soccer court but this had to be aborted as there were too
many residents walking by. Instead he and five others loitered at a
nearby playground and when Rashvin and a friend passed by, they
accused the duo of insulting them. They pounced on Rashvin and
rained punches and kicks before slashing him.
When police arrested Mohammed Hussein in his flat in Corporation
Drive on Aug 16, they found a flick knife and the sickle in his
room.
