Shangri-La shooting case: Second passenger sentenced to 7 years, 3 strokes of cane

Shangri-La shooting case: Second passenger sentenced to 7 years, 3 strokes of cane

SINGAPORE - One of the passengers in a car involved in the Shangri-La shooting case earlier this year, has been sentenced to seven years' jail and three strokes of the cane on Monday (Dec 21), said local media reports.

Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin, 26, pleaded guilty to three drug-related charges and one count of abetting a rash act.

On May 31, Muhammad Syahid Mohamed Yasin and Mohamed Ismail, 32, were passengers in a car driven by Mohamad Taufik Zahar, 34, when they were stopped at a police road block near the Shangri-La hotel. The Shangri- La Dialogue, a major security summit attended by defence ministers and security chiefs, had been taking place that day.

Police officers instructed Taufik to wind down the windows for a check, and according to a Channel NewsAsia report, Syahid became nervous because he had drugs in the car. He then shouted at Taufik to "Jalan, jalan!" - Malay for "Go, go!". Following which, Taufik accelerated and crashed through the concrete barricade.

Police then opened fire, and the car came to a stop. The Straits Times reported that Taufik died on the spot and that the car had a single bullet hole in the front windscreen.

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Syahid and Mohamed were arrested at the scene, and their urine test results revealed that both men had consumed drugs.

Mohamed was sentenced in June this year to eight years' jail and three strokes of the cane for drug offences while Syahid's sentence was passed today.

This will not be Syahid's first time in jail. He was previously convicted for drug-related offences.

The prosection had asked for a jail term of seven years and two months, while the defence said in mitigation that Syahid had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder by a prison psychiatrist.

According to local media reports, Syahid has "nightmares and flashbacks" of the moment Taufik was shot dead. He also reportedly heard gunshots whenever prison doors were shut loudly.

The Straits Times added that lawyer Nadia Moynihan said Syahid's infant daughter died in July this year while his father passed away a month later.

debwong@sph.com.sg

 

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