• Two work colleagues wanted to buy contraband cigarettes, so they contacted a seller via the message platform WeChat
• One of them met the seller, who handed over a carton wrapped in a black plastic bag in return for S$1,200
• Later, the man discovered the carton contained bottled water, not contraband cigarettes
• They then plotted their revenge, with one of them attacking the man with a screwdriver

SINGAPORE — Two manufacturing workers were jailed nine months each on Monday (Jan 25) for assaulting another man with a screwdriver, after he swindled them when they bought contraband cigarettes from him.

Instead of receiving the illegal goods, Hou Ye and Wang Haibo had picked up a carton filled with bottles of mineral water.

They then plotted to take revenge on the seller, Mr Zhou Bo, 32. The pair attacked him with a screwdriver and took his mobile phone during the assault.

Hou, 35, and Wang, 39 — both Chinese nationals who worked in the same company — pleaded guilty to one count each of voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous means and misappropriation of property.

In sentencing them, the court took into consideration two charges each of leaving their homes for non-essential purposes.

The incident took place on May 12 last year, during the circuit breaker period imposed to stem the spread of Covid-19. People were allowed to go out only for essential purposes such as getting groceries.

However, Hou and Wang ventured out to Block 609, Jurong West Street 65, to buy 50 cartons of contraband cigarettes from Mr Zhou for S$1,200.

They had contacted Mr Zhou, also from China and who worked as a delivery driver, on messaging platform WeChat.

That evening, Mr Zhou told Hou that he would only meet him alone, so Hou told Wang to go home. 

Hou called for a Grab ride to meet Zhou but when the car arrived, Mr Zhou was waiting in the backseat. Hou then paid S$1,100 in cash and 500 yuan (S$105) through WeChat.

Mr Zhou told the driver to stop at the roadside, got out and handed a carton wrapped in a black plastic bag to Hou.

When Hou checked the carton after Mr Zhou left, he discovered that it contained numerous bottles of water instead of his intended purchase.

The seller also did not respond to attempts to contact him.

REVENGE PLOT

The next day, Hou and Wang hatched a plan for Wang to pretend to buy more cigarettes from Mr Zhou. After luring him out, they would compel him to return the money.

Wang and Mr Zhou arranged to meet at Block 705, Jurong West Street 71, five days later to seal the deal.

That night, Hou brought along two screwdrivers from his home. They spotted Mr Zhou holding onto a black plastic bag from afar as they approached the residential block.

Wang went up to him and asked to check the cigarettes before paying, but Mr Zhou declined and left.

However, Mr Zhou was caught by surprise when he saw Hou behind him. He began to run and threw the trash bag towards Hou, who caught up and demanded his money back.

When Mr Zhou said that he did not know what Hou was talking about, they wrestled with each other and Mr Zhou fell.

Mr Zhou feigned ignorance again and asked if Hou had recognised the right person. Seeing red, Hou struck his head repeatedly with the back of the screwdriver while he was on the ground, causing him to bleed from his head.

Wang was acting as a lookout at the time.

Mr Zhou eventually relented and held up his Huawei mobile phone, indicating that he would call someone to bring their cash. Afraid that he would call the police or others for backup, Hou swatted the phone away.

At this point, Wang told Hou that they should quickly settle the matter.

Hou allowed Mr Zhou to stand up but he ran away towards the main road and disappeared when the pair gave chase. Wang picked up Mr Zhou’s mobile phone and disposed of the screwdriver in a nearby bin.

Hou switched the phone off, took it back home and placed it on top of a letterbox. Police officers later recovered it.

Court documents did not state if Mr Zhou will be prosecuted.

He sustained head injuries such as cuts on his scalp and was given three days of sick leave after seeking treatment at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

Hou and Wang could have been jailed up to seven years, fined, caned, or received any combination of the three for causing hurt by dangerous means.

For misappropriation, they could have been jailed up to two years or fined, or both.