SINGAPORE - A dishwasher was jailed for 12 months on Wednesday (Nov 16) for slashing a former colleague on his face and right shoulder.

Salam Mohammed, 43, admitted to hurting prime mover driver Rosle Sarpani, 56, with a penknife at the open space carpark of Block 33 Harbour Drive, Pasir Panjang Terminal, on July 16.

Salam had known Mr Rosle for eight years. Mr Rosle was also friends with Salam's wife for about three years before the incident.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Yanying said that on July 15, Salam's wife asked him to remove her name from the unit they were living in. Although they were undergoing divorce proceedings, Salam was unhappy as he did not expect his wife to make such a request.

He suspected that it was Mr Rosle who had instigated this, especially since he had believed for some time that his wife was having an affair with the victim. He was also unhappy because Mr Rosle had allegedly owed him money.

The next day at about 7pm. he went to Mr Rosle's workplace and waited for him at the open space carpark. Along the way, he picked up a penknife.

Forty minutes later, Mr Rosle and his colleague were walking across the carpark towards the gate when Salam suddenly came from behind. He swung a punch towards Mr Rosle's face, causing him to be disoriented.

He then took out the penknife and slashed Mr Rosle's face. Mr Rosle's colleague pushed Salam away.

Salam then shouted at the victim about the money owed and accused him of "disturbing" his wife.

When Mr Rosle denied this, Salam continued to slash him in his face and right shoulder. Mr Rosle ran towards the gate to seek help.

An Aetos security officer saw blood stains on Mr Rosle's face and tried to arrest Salam who fled after throwing away the penknife into a dustbin.

Mr Rosle suffered two superficial cuts on his forehead, two cuts on his lip and some small ulcers inside his mouth. He was given nine days of outpatient medical leave.

Salam went into hiding after the incident and eventually surrendered himself on July 21.

DPP Tan told the court the affair was not borne out by investigations.

She asked that 12 to 18 months' jail be imposed on Salam given the injuries suffered by the victim. She said the offence was pre-meditated and Salam had brought a penknife and waited for the victim at his workplace. He also targeted a vulnerable part of the victim's body - his face.

Salam, whose sentence was backdated to July 22, could have been jailed for up to seven years, fined, caned or received any combination of the punishments.