Jail, caning for ex-restaurant boss who planned knife attack on rival

A former director of Singapore Zam Zam restaurant in North Bridge Road, who masterminded a 2015 attack against a supervisor of rival eatery Victory next door, was sentenced yesterday to six years' jail and six strokes of the cane.

Before sentencing Zackeer Abbass Khan, District Judge Mathew Joseph said the case was a reminder that one should not allow anger to cloud one's judgment as the "resulting consequences can be severe".

In March, Judge Joseph found Zackeer, 49, and former safety officer Anwer Ambiya Kadir Maideen, 50, guilty of one count each of engaging in a conspiracy to cause grievous hurt to Mr Liakath Ali Mohamed Ibrahim with a weapon. The attack took place around 10pm on Aug 26, 2015.

Zackeer was also convicted of criminal intimidation as he had threatened to injure Mr Liakath, then 52, on Aug 22 that year.

Yesterday, Anwer also admitted to being a senior member of a secret society. The judge sentenced him to a total of 5½ years' jail.

Zackeer and Anwer were the last two people involved in the case to be convicted. Others, including secret society member Joshua Navindran Surainthiran, who was 23 when he slashed Mr Liakath, have already been dealt with.

In November 2016, Joshua was sentenced to 6½ years' jail and six strokes of the cane for the slashing and other offences.

In their submissions, Deputy Public Prosecutors Tan Wen Hsien and Claire Poh stated that the "genesis of this ill-will" could be traced to 2005 when Zackeer and Mr Liakath were business partners.

The court heard that after the business failed, Mr Liakath joined Victory in 2014 and created problems for Zam Zam by pulling customers away and reporting its staff to the authorities.

Zackeer later asked Anwer to arrange an attack on Mr Liakath and offered money to get the job done.

The court heard that Joshua, in his statements to the authorities, said Anwer called him on Aug 23, 2015, and offered him $2,000 to slash Mr Liakath's face.

Three days later, at around 10pm, Joshua confronted Mr Liakath at a bridge between Rochor Canal Road and Sungei Road, and slashed his face with a knife.

Mr Liakath was left with a permanent scar.

Defence lawyer Peter Keith Fernando, who represented Anwer, told the court yesterday that his client has been an inactive member of the secret society for some time.

Anwer was offered bail of $60,000 and ordered to surrender himself at the State Courts on July 6 to begin serving his jail term.

Zackeer's lawyer Sarbrinder Singh said his client intends to appeal against the judge's decisions. Zackeer's bail has been set at $75,000.

For playing a role to voluntarily cause grievous hurt with a weapon, an offender can be jailed for up to 15 years and fined or caned. Anwer cannot be caned as he is 50 years old.