By Khushwant Singh
A MONTH before he was to enrol in Republic Polytechnic, Mr Lee
Dao Hong had a part of his finger slashed off. His friend, private
school student Abel Lim Kay Hern, also 17, was slashed on the head
in the attack on March 5.
One of the seven attackers pleaded guilty on Monday to rioting
with a deadly weapon with the common intention of hurting the two
victims.
Community Court Judge Soh Tze Bian ordered a pre-sentence and
probation report on Muhammad Rozaidi Abdullah, a student of the
MacPherson Institute of Technical Education (ITE). His accomplices
have been charged and will be dealt with separately.
The victims were walking to church for prayer services at 8pm
with four friends, aged between 15 and 23. Along Pasir Ris Drive 3,
they were accused of staring at the other group, who started
shouting vulgarities.
When someone in Mr Lee's group made a rude hand gesture, a fight
broke out. One of Muhammad Rozaidi's friends was armed with a knife
and starting slashing while the rest punched and kicked the two
victims. The friends managed to escape.
The amputation of Mr Lee's right ring finger measured 5cm and
the court heard that the severed part was not recovered. Mr Lim
suffered a 5cm-long slash on his scalp.
