Man scarred by brother in knife attack: I've forgiven him

The scars on his left shoulder and back mark a bittersweet relationship that stretches back 28 years.

Mover Zulkraine Osman, 36, was viciously slashed by his younger brother, Muhammad Idris Osman, 28, in May.

Despite this, Mr Zulkraine said that he has forgiven his attacker and even plans to visit him in jail.

Speaking in Malay to The New Paper yesterday, Mr Zulkraine said: "He is my flesh and blood and we were very close when we were young."

Idris was jailed for 11 months yesterday after pleading guilty to two counts of theft and one of voluntarily causing hurt with a weapon.

A third theft charge was taken into consideration.

The court heard that Idris, Mr Zulkraine and a 14-year-old boy were chatting at a pavilion near Block 63, Lorong 5 Toa Payoh, at around 6am on May 3 when the two brothers got into an argument.

Mr Zulkraine said: "I've forgotten what we were talking about.

"But until now, I don't know what triggered his anger, for he suddenly raised his voice."

He added: "I know that my brother is quite hot-tempered. Then he went off in anger."

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Gabriel Choong said Idris, who is jobless, retrieved two knives from nearby Block 70 and returned.

The brothers started arguing again when Idris suddenly attacked Mr Zulkraine.

DPP Choong said: "He swung the knife in his right hand at the victim and cut him once on his left shoulder and once on his back.

"The victim attempted to evade the blows but did not retaliate."

Mr Zulkraine said he did not feel any pain at first and only found out he was cut when he saw blood.

"I was shocked, but I didn't fight back," he said.

Idris then fled the scene and an unknown woman called the police about the case at around 6.20am.

He was arrested about two hours later.

Mr Zulkraine was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and was discharged after two days.

He said: "I'm perfectly fine now. No matter what happens, he is still my brother."

PREVIOUS OFFENCES

Idris has had other brushes with the law.

Idris and a friend Eddy Zulkifli, 26, broke into a lorry parked near Block 350, Clementi Avenue 2, on March 24 to steal a cash card worth $20.

The court heard that Eddy had earlier been jailed two months after committing this offence.

Idris struck again six days later and broke into another lorry parked near Block 66, Lorong 4 Toa Payoh.

This time round, he made off with a cash card worth $26.24.

For each theft charge, Idris could have been jailed up to three years and fined.

For voluntarily causing hurt with a weapon, he could have been jailed up to seven years, or fined, or caned or received any combination of such punishment.

This article was first published on November 6, 2015.
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