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SINGAPORE – Two officers from the Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) were each sentenced to 10 weeks in prison on Tuesday (September 15) for their involvement in an irregular incident in 2018 that led to the death of a national serviceman from full time (NSF).
After a trial, Nazhan Mohamed Nazi, 42, was found guilty last month of negligence in failing to prevent his subordinates from carrying out the disorderly activity on the night of May 13, 2018.
Nazhan was the deputy commander of the Tuas View Fire Station at the time.
His colleague, Kenneth Chong Chee Boon, 40, who was the commander, pleaded guilty to a similar crime in July.
Both were the last two to be treated in court after the incident.
Before sentencing them on Tuesday, Chief District Judge Ong Hian Sun said they had been “grossly negligent” and that death was the worst possible outcome.
The judge added that a firm stance must be taken to ensure that the security of the military remains paramount.
Some of the couple’s subordinates had lobbied the NSF, Corporal Kok Yuen Chin, 22, to enter a 12-meter-deep pumping shaft at the fire station that night to mark the imminent completion of their national service.
He drowned after another of his colleagues, 34-year-old Muhammad Nur Fatwa Mahmood, pushed him.
Three regular members of the SCDF, including Nur Fatwa, had previously been convicted and sentenced for their role in the drowning.
Nur Fatwa was sentenced to one year and four weeks in jail in October 2018 after admitting to the fatal shove.
Nazhan and Chong were originally charged with intentionally assisting a group of SCDF military personnel in causing serious harm to Cpl Kok through a reckless act that endangered human life.
Those convicted of this crime can be jailed for up to four years and fined up to $ 10,000.
But after an earlier trial, Judge Ong reduced his charges to the current one: that of performing a negligent act by failing to prevent his subordinates from carrying out the disorderly activity on May 13, 2018.
Those convicted of this crime can be jailed for up to three months and fined up to $ 1,500.
In stating his reasons in July for amending the charge, the judge had noted that it was Nur Fatwa who pushed Cpl Kok into the well that night.
The judge had also said that Chong and Nazhan were not present at the well, adding that the couple did not have the opportunity to intervene or take preventive measures at the time.
However, he stressed that there had been a “breach of duty” on the part of both men.
The judge had said that Chong and Nazhan were obliged to ensure that Cpl Kok’s life was not in danger while on duty.
Chong began serving his sentence on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Nazhan’s defense attorney Singa Retnam told the court that his client intends to appeal against his conviction and sentence. His bond was then set at $ 15,000.
Deputy Prosecutor Kumaresan Gohulabalan also told the court that the prosecution will also appeal against the previous order to amend the charge.
Cpl Kok’s father, construction worker Kok Meng Hwa, was in court on Tuesday to observe the process.
He later told reporters outside the courtroom: “What else can I feel? My son went to another world … The incident has already happened. “
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