Man charged over Jurong East flat fire
PUBLISHED ONJune 18, 2015 1:14 AMByElena Chong
THE man suspected of torching the outside of a Housing Board flat in Jurong East over a loan taken by the victim's neighbour was charged yesterday.
Mohamed Ashyik Mohamed Shawal, 31, allegedly caused damage to the 12th-floor flat in Toh Guan Road on Friday. This was in connection with an illegal loan taken by a neighbour living on a floor below.
He is accused of using Zippo lighter fluid to set the fire, and writing loanshark graffiti on the 12th-floor lift landing with an indelible black marker.
He allegedly did these on behalf of an unlicensed moneylender known as Denzel.
He is being remanded at Central police division for a week for investigations, as he is believed to be involved in a series of similar cases.
He was arrested on Monday in Toa Payoh. The police seized cans of paint, bicycle chain locks and marker pens.
Ashyik's request to be sent for psychiatric observation at the Institute of Mental Health was rejected by District Judge Eddy Tham, who fixed his case for mention next Wednesday.
If convicted of loanshark harassment, Ashyik could be jailed for up to five years and fined between $5,000 and $50,000, plus caning of three to six strokes.
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