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SINGAPORE – Unhappy with members of another gang, a member of the secret society bought a gun in Malaysia for about $ 1,400 and smuggled it to Singapore because he wanted to use it to “scare” them.
Food stand operator Muhammad Ikram Abdul Aziz stored the gun along with eight bullets in his Jurong West apartment and was captured only when Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers raided the unit in an unrelated case.
The 26-year-old Singaporean was sentenced on Monday (March 1) to seven years and 10 months in jail with six strokes of the baton after pleading guilty to possession of a Shooters Sea Hawk pistol.
The case of his friend, Amirul Asyraff Muhammad Junus, also 26, is still pending.
Deputy Prosecutor Norine Tan said the two men were close friends and had played soccer for the Tanjong Pagar United U-18 team in 2012. They then joined the same secret society.
In January 2019, Amirul discovered that a man known as “Faris” had beaten Amirul’s ex-wife outside the Club Beacon in Marina Square.
He later told Amirul that Faris belonged to another gang.
The DPP said: “Amirul told Ikram about this incident to convey his discontent and asked Ikram for advice on how to solve the problem.
“Amirul wanted revenge on (her) … at that time. Ikram told Amirul not to act rash and that he would help him, but that he did not want to fight because Ikram had a young daughter.”
[[nid:515911]]So, Ikram decided to buy a gun to scare the other gang members and show them that Amirul couldn’t be intimidated.
Ikram went to a tattoo shop in a Johor Baru mall in February 2019 and met a man known only as “Boy JB”.
Boy JB told the Singaporean that he would find him a gun and the couple exchanged mobile phone numbers.
Ikram returned to Malaysia a few days later and gave Boy JB $ 900.
Ikram returned to Johor Baru with his parents in a car in March 2019. He then deposited RM1,500 (around S $ 500) into Boy JB’s bank account.
Boy JB met him later that day to deliver the gun, a pistol clip, and eight rounds.
Ikram was at his rented Johor Baru condo around 4 a.m. when he wrapped the items in a towel before placing them in a bag. The court heard that he smuggled the illicit items into Singapore the next day.
[[nid:514731]]The DPP said: “Ikram decided to bring the gun back while traveling with his parents, as he observed that customs officers rarely searched his belongings if he was traveling with his parents.”
Ikram showed the gun to Amirul that same month when his friend came to his apartment for dinner.
The offense came to light on October 8, 2019, when two CNB officers detained Ikram on the empty deck of Block 731 Jurong West Street 72 for alleged drug use.
They searched his apartment shortly after and found the gun, bullets and magazine, the court heard.
For being in possession of a weapon, a criminal can be imprisoned for between five and ten years and receive at least six strokes of the baton.
This article was first published in The times of the strait. Permission is required for reproduction.
