A man who brutally killed a cat by throwing it from sixth floor’s heights was charged in court today (14 Dec).

The prosecutor accused Fajar Ashraf Fajar Ali (25) of throwing a shorthair female cat from the sixth-floor staircase landing at Block 884, Tampines Street 83, to the ground at about 1.40 am on 26 May. And subsequently at about 2.30 am, he allegedly slammed the same cat to the ground twice at the void deck of the HDB block.

Ashraf, without representation of a lawyer, told the court that he intends to plead guilty to both charges of animal cruelty.

District Judge Ronald Gwee adjourned the case to 9 January for Ashraf to enter his plea in a community court.

For a first conviction, Ashraf could get a fine of up to $15,000, or jail for up to 18 months, or both. The penalty for subsequent convictions is a fine of up to $30,000, or jail for up to three years, or both.

On the day itself, neighbours had heard a shriek late at night and a man who looked to be in his 20s had been seen banging a grey cat on the ground twice. The cat was found lying with blood flowing out of its mouth.

Also a few days before the incident, a black cat was found dead at Block 885 by a cleaner, with the same bloodied mouth and another cat was found injured with a dislocated leg.

The May 26 case became well publicised after the Cat Welfare Society made an appeal for information in its Facebook post on 30 May.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) wrote in a statement on Wednesday (14 Dec) after Ashraf was charged, that it had immediately started investigations after it was alerted to the case.

They collected the cat carcass for a post mortem examination and with the help of police, suspect’s identity was established. The man was then arrested on 31 May, and subsequently placed on bail.

AVA also said it condemns animal cruelty.

TOC contacted Cat Welfare Society and Veron Lau, a committee member of the society, commented on the news, “It is heartening to see an increase in prosecutions this year relating to cat abuse which we see as a direct result of AVA putting a stronger investigation team in place. We hope this sends the message to our nation that animal abuse will not be tolerated.“

“We as members of the public must also do our part to come forward promptly when we witness abuse and provide good information that will bring justice for our vulnerable cats. In this case, it was the vigilance of the Tampines residents who stopped the abuser in his tracks and gave critical information that led to an arrest. We hope the courts will send a strong message with the sentencing of this abuser,” Ms Lau stated.

 

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