• Mohd Heirizal Kamarzaman took a bread knife and attacked his uncle while the latter was bathing
• The attack was the second time he had reoffended while on bail
• The prosecution would be seeking five years and eight months’ jail, and nine strokes of the cane

SINGAPORE — A 39-year-old man pleaded guilty on Monday (June 21) to attacking his 61-year-old uncle with a knife, hours after a heated dispute over a damaged laptop.

Mohd Heirizal Kamarzaman, who committed the offence while he was out on bail, was upset that his uncle, Ahmad Sharip, had refused to pay for the repair of his laptop, which was damaged after the older man’s cat knocked a can of beer over it.

Heirizal also accused his uncle of wanting to chase him out of the house where they were living.

Heirizal fractured and almost severed his uncle’s thumb during the attack, which took place at their home in Tampines at about 9pm on Jan 31, 2019.

Before that, they had a dispute at around 5pm that day. Heirizal then left the house to drink.

When he returned, he became upset again and told his aunt who was visiting the house at the time that he needed money to repair his laptop.

He then retrieved a bread knife from the kitchen and marched towards Ahmad while the latter was in the middle of a shower.

Heirizal kicked the toilet door till it gave way and started slashing his uncle several times. Ahmad injured himself when he tried to fend off the attack with his left hand.

Heirizal then left the toilet and slashed the mattress in the adjourning master bedroom multiple times.

A neighbour called the police after the aunt ran out of the house asking for help.

OTHER OFFENCES

Heirizal had been convicted thrice before this.

The last conviction was in 2013 when he was sent to prison for two-and-a-half years, caned and fined over an assortment of crimes.

He was released in February 2014, but has since had several brushes with the law.

He was first arrested on Nov 6, 2017, after making a nuisance call to the police in which he sang “f*** the police”.

On Feb 4, 2018, after drinking several cans of beer, he punched a 26-year-old Bangladeshi cleaner twice.

The victim and his colleague had come across Heirizal when working to clear rubbish using a buggy in a Bedok North housing estate.

Heirizal also tried to damage the buggy’s signal light.

The nuisance call and the assault on the worker were the subject of two other charges, which Heirizal was also convicted of on Monday.

Six other charges would be taken into consideration during his sentencing, three of which are related to a woman.

Charge sheets stated that Heirizal had sent her nude photo to her father through WhatsApp on Oct 17 in 2018, then poured beer on her when they were in a hotel in Geylang later that day.

The other three charges related to Heirizal punching the Bangladeshi cleaner’s colleague as well, making another nuisance call to the police by saying that he had just killed someone, and being in possession of a phone containing two obscene films.

The court heard that the prosecution would be seeking five years and eight months’ jail, and nine strokes of the cane, for Heirizal.

His lawyer Wee Hong Shern would be seeking five years’ jail and nine strokes of the cane.

For the most serious charge, that of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to his uncle, Heirizal could be jailed for life, or up to 15 years. He may also be fined or caned.

The case is set to be heard in court again on July 23 for mitigation and sentencing.