Fifth suspect charged over Molotov cocktail attack on club at St James Power Station

Daryl Tay Kai Long was charged with one count of mischief by fire for his alleged role in an attempt to set a club on fire using Molotov cocktails. PHOTO: FACEBOOK/SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

SINGAPORE - Five men allegedly tried to set a club in St James Power Station ablaze in the early hours of Sept 13 using Molotov cocktails.

Four suspects were arrested shortly after and charged with one count of mischief by fire each, but one suspect - Daryl Tay Kai Long - eluded police for three weeks.

On Wednesday (Oct 5), Tay, 26, was also charged with the same crime.

He was offered bail of $15,000.

His accomplices, Toh Wen Yi and Bryan Ho Chang Rong, both 26, and Eugene Lim Huang Shen and Cephas Ho Jin An, both 23, had been charged on Sept 15.

The cases for all five suspects will be mentioned again on Oct 17.

The five are accused of having acted jointly to hurl four Molotov cocktails at the entrance of a club called Bounce in St James Power Station between 2.10am and 2.26am on Sept 13.

The attack is believed to be "an act of revenge arising from a previous dispute between one of the suspects and the staff of one of the entertainment outlets at St James Power Station", said the police.

Police said they received a call regarding the incident at about 2.25am that day. Officers arrived to find glass shards from beer bottles and soot near the entrance of the club.

Investigations revealed that three men lit and threw four beer bottles filled with petrol, before fleeing. No one was injured.

Officers worked round the clock to identify one suspect, who was arrested within 20 hours. Three other suspects were arrested within the next day.

The maximum punishment for committing mischief by fire or any explosive substance, knowing that it would likely cause damage to property, is seven years' jail and a fine.

Under the law, when a crime is committed jointly by several persons, each person is liable for it as if it was done by just one of them.

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