Man attacked over mistaken identity

He had wanted to use the toilet at Toa Payoh Town Park but found himself in the middle of a dispute between two gangs.

Mr Rozie Rahman, 22, was attacked by a group of youth on Dec 29 after being mistaken as a rival gang member.

Yesterday, one of his attackers, Hong Jin Lai, 19, was sentenced to reformative training for rioting and assisting an unlicensed moneylender.

Hong, who was crying in court, will serve between 18 months and three years under a strict regimen that includes foot drills and counselling.

At about 3am, Hong and more than six accomplices chased and attacked Mr Rozie with wooden planks.

He sustained blood clots on the back of his skull, a scratch mark on his upper back and a bruise on his right arm.

District Judge Lim Keng Yeow declined to offer Hong "probation with conditions", as requested by Hong's lawyer.

A probation officer had testified that probation would be unsuitable for Hong, who had reoffended while on bail.

This article was first published on August 30, 2014.
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