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Man on bail for attacking cabby ends up in another assault case

Man on bail for attacking cabby ends up in another assault case
PHOTO: Pixabay

SINGAPORE - Ten months after attacking a taxi driver following a drinking session at Orchard Towers, Meera Moideen Sehu Mohamed was at it again.

After a night of drinking last year, the 33-year-old ganged up with three others to assault Mr Ahamed Bazeer, also 33.

On Thursday (Feb 7), Meera was sentenced to three months and four weeks' jail.

The Singaporean had pleaded guilty last month to four charges in all. They are: two counts of assault; one count of causing hurt by performing a rash act; and one count of hurling vulgarities at a policeman.

The first incident happened after a night of merrymaking at Orchard Towers.

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At around 8.30am on May 24, 2017, Meera boarded Mr Hoe Hwee Sin's taxi near the shopping centre and directed the 59-year-old cabby to take him to Clementi.

About 10 minutes into the journey, Mr Hoe noticed Meera was drooling inside the taxi and told him to stop because it was "unhygienic", Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yang told the court.

But Meera starting arguing with the cabby.

At this point, Mr Hoe told him he could get out of the taxi if he was unhappy with the service provided. Mr Hoe then stopped his vehicle in Paterson Hill near Grange Road.

Upset, Meera opened the left rear passenger door, but without checking for oncoming traffic.

The door hit motorcyclist Marwan Ahmad, 39, who was unable to stop in time, and he fell onto the road.

Mr Hoe immediately alighted from his taxi to check on Mr Marwan.

He also used his mobile phone to snap photographs of the accident scene. When Meera saw this, he became aggressive and confronted the cabby.

DPP Zhou said: "The accused used his own mobile phone and hit Hoe on the face with the phone. Thereafter, the accused kicked Hoe on the calf.

"Hoe reacted by pushing the accused away and managed to prevent the accused from attacking any further. As a result of the push, the accused fell onto the road."

Police arrived at the scene and arrested Meera, who also hurled vulgarities at Staff Sergeant Kong Zhi Qin, 28.

Mr Marwan later sought medical treatment at a clinic. According to a medical report dated June 10, 2017, his injuries included a wounded right palm and a bruised left knee.

Mr Hoe, who went to another clinic, was treated for a cut at his right eyebrow and a tender right calf.

While out on bail for the first offence, an intoxicated Meera ganged up with three others to assault Mr Ahamed Bazeer near Orchard Towers. It happened at around 9am on March 10 last year.

Court documents did not state the reason for the attack.

On Thursday, Meera was offered bail of $25,000 and ordered to surrender himself at the State Courts on Feb 28 to begin serving his sentence.

The cases involving his alleged accomplices - Valentonio Christopher, 25; Mohamed Naina Abdul Salam, 31; and Suresh Krishnamoorthy, 33 - are pending.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.

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