A Bangladeshi who instigated others to rob a compatriot of $75,000 in Little India almost two years ago was sentenced to the minimum three years’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane on Monday .
Sree Krishna Mondal Omar Chan Mondal, 44, the eighth and last man to be dealt with in the case, admitted to abetting Sathasivam Balakrishnan, 28, to rob construction worker Md Rashel Md Sorpan, 25, with at least two others in November 2013.
Mr Md Rashel was robbed of his laptop bag containing cash of $75,000 and other items along Serangoon Road by Sathasivam and six others at about 9.30pm on Nov 17 that year. The six are brothers Rubenkumar Lakshmanan, 22, his 25-year-old brother Sathya Kumar, Rajkamal Selvanathan, 26,Dinesh Kumar, 25, Mano Ranjan Rajendran, 22, and Vishnunad Bhaguan, 24, all Singaporeans.
A district court heard that Sree Krishna had asked Sathasivam three days earlier if he was keen to commit robbery. He said the target would be collecting money in the Tekka area and carrying more than $50,000.
Sree Krishna also told Sathasivam to bring at least two other persons along and to meet him at the open field beside Anguillia Mosque on Serangoon Road on Nov 17.
Sathasivam took Mano and Vishvunad to meet Sree Krishna at the latter’s house that evening. The four then went to the open field along Serangoon Road where Sree Krishna pointed out Mr Md Rashel, who was then with his uncle and cousin and surrounded by many other Bangladeshi workers.
Meanwhile, Rubenkumar and three others were nearby looking for a potential victim to rob when he learnt about the trio’s plan and decided to join them and share the money equally.
At about 9.30pm the robbers saw Mr Md Rashel, his uncle and cousin walking towards the traffic junction. Sathya came from behind and punched the victim, who fell. All the accomplices then tried to kick and punch Mr Md Rashel and his witnesses. Sensing that something was wrong, the victim fled with the laptop bag, chased by the robbers.
When Mr Md Rashel fell on the pavement on the opposite side of the road, Sathya, Rubenkumar and Dinesh caught up with him and began assaulting the victim. Rubenkumar snatched the black laptop bag with cash and other items inside.
Rubenkumar took part of the bundle of cash and boarded a bus. He was later arrested. Cash of $5,243 was eventually recovered.
The accomplices have each been sentenced to between three years and 41/2 years’ jail plus caning.
Source: www.straitstimes.com
