UPDATE (20 Nov, 4.30pm): Mohamed Farid Mohd Saleh was sentenced to 13 months’ jail on Wednesday (20 Nov) for his involvement in the ragging incident that caused the death of CPL Kok, reported The Straits Times.
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Last May, Singaporeans were horrified to learn about the death of Corporal (CPL) Kok Yuen Chin after he was pushed into a well as part of a ragging process.
On Thursday (31 Oct), a third person was charged in relation to the case. First Warrant Officer Mohamed Farid Mohd Saleh faces a jail term of up to 5 years and a fine for abetting a rash act not amounting to culpable homicide.
According to The Straits Times, Staff Sergeant Nur Fatwa had testified earlier during the trial that Farid had told him to push CPL Kok into the pump well.
CPL Kok was found unconscious 36 minutes later at the bottom of the 12-metre deep well.
The District Judge pointed out that when the station commander found out about the incident, Nur Fatwa had “readily admitted” to pushing CPL Kok. He added that it was Farid who had told him to do so.
He also added that Farid, who was nearby when he made the statement, did not deny Nur Fatwa’s accusations.
Judge Yeo added that since Farid and Nur Fatwa were good friends, the latter had no reason “to falsely implicate Farid”.
The defence, however, argued that nobody had heard Farid telling Nur Fatwa to push CPL Kok into the pump well.
In response, Judge Yeo said this did not mean Nur Fatwa was lying, given that the situation would have been chaotic. It was “not unexpected” that no one heard Farid with a volume that was “between whispering and a normal talking tone.”
Farid is currently out on bail of $15,000 now and his sentencing will take place on 20 Nov.
He faces a jail term of up to 5 years and a fine for the charge of abetting a rash act amounting to culpable homicide.
Nur Fatwa was earlier sentenced to jail for 1 year and 4 months while Adighazali Suhaimi, a staff sergeant, was sentenced to 1-month jail in 2018.
We hope that the case can be concluded soon so CPL Kok’s loved ones and friends can have a semblance of closure.
Most importantly, we hope that the judgment will deter such dangerous ‘traditions’ from occurring in the future.
Featured image adapted from The Strait Times and Facebook.
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