18 months’ probation for bouncer who hid knife used in fatal brawl, gave false statement to police
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SINGAPORE - A club bouncer who helped to hide a knife used in a fatal brawl outside Concorde Hotel
On Oct 15, District Judge Shen Wanqin described A.R. Ridhwan Abdul Rahim, 22, as a young person who had “merely taken a misstep in life” due to a lack of maturity and misplaced loyalty to his friends.
Ridhwan pleaded guilty in September
Two other similar charges were taken into consideration for his sentencing.
Speaking to Ridhwan, who attended court proceedings via video-link, Judge Shen said: “You should treasure this opportunity given to you and make a concerted effort to become a good and productive citizen.”
The bespectacled man in a white prison shirt answered: “Yes, Your Honour.”
Deputy Public Prosecutor Brian Tan told the court previously that Ridhwan had started working as a bouncer at Club Rumours, at the Concorde Hotel and Shopping Mall in Orchard Road, in June 2023.
At about 6am on Aug 20, 2023, Ridhwan was closing up the club when he saw a crowd chasing after Mr Mohammad Isrrat Mohd Ismail, 29, and Muhammad Shahrulnizam Osman, 31, referred to as Nizam. The pair then ran into the mall.
Ridhwan knew that both Mr Isrrat and Nizam used to be bouncers at Club Rumours.
The pair belonged to a secret society group called 369 Kallang Airport, according to court documents.
Nizam handed Ridhwan a bread knife, telling him in Malay, “take this and run”.
DPP Tan said the group of 16 people who attacked Mr Isrrat belonged to a rival secret society group called Jalan Kayu Depot Ang Soon Tong.
Mr Isrrat died in hospital following the brawl.
One of the men in the group, Asvain Pachan Pillai Sukumaran, 29, is facing a murder charge for allegedly killing Mr Isrrat.
Ridhwan took the knife back to Club Rumours, where he hid it in his locker, but the other bouncers told him that Nizam had used that bread knife to slash some people from the rival gang.
He retrieved the knife from his locker and handed it to fellow bouncer Mohamad Zachary Danial Mohamad Azhar, 23, or Zach, who left the club.
Ridhwan then gave false statements to the investigating officers, telling them that he had picked up the knife after spotting it on the floor during the chaos.
He later admitted that he lied, as he wanted to protect his fellow bouncers from legal liability, as they had provided the knife used in the fight.
Before handing down the sentence, Judge Shen said Ridhwan can be rehabilitated, as he had a good relationship with his family.
“(Ridhwan said) he should have listened to his mother’s advice to quit his job at the club,” said the judge.
Noting that this was his first offence, Judge Shen said Ridhwan was not a hardened nor recalcitrant offender.
He cut off contact with former colleagues who had instigated the offences, and does not associate with other members of secret societies, added the judge.
After his arrest, he also worked as a paramedic and in a warehouse.
She said: “His positive conduct is a good indicator of his robust commitment towards leaving his errant ways behind.”
Ridhwan, whose mother was in court on Oct 15, was represented by Mr Benedict Koh and Mr Yip Jian Yang from Pro Bono SG.
Nizam, who faces five charges including causing grievous hurt, is expected to plead guilty on Nov 22.
Zach faces four charges in total, including two counts of causing evidence to disappear. He is scheduled to plead guilty on Nov 13.
To date, more than 10 people have been charged over their alleged involvement in the brawl.
