Four men face charges for harassing police at Little India crime scene

SINGAPORE: Four men were charged on Wednesday (25 September), with one count each of causing public nuisance and using abusive language against a police officer following an incident at a crime scene in Little India. The scene was cordoned off by law enforcement as they investigated an alleged murder. The incident, which took place around 5:10 a.m. on 22 September, was captured in a nearly two-minute video that was uploaded to the Facebook page ROADS.sg, garnering over 434,000 views.

The men charged are Md Din, 32o Marciano Abdul Wahab, 44; Alex Kumar Gnansekaran, 37; Mohamed Eusof Mohamed Yahiya, 32; and Mohanan V Balakrishnan. Court documents indicated that they shouted at police officers, using phrases such as, "You talked like a gangster you know, we all scared you know", "we are paying tax, we are paying our f***ing tax" and "I can show you 100 per cent gangster". Observing the video, the individuals appear to be arguing with two police officers about the absence of officers stationed at the road entrance to direct pedestrians to an alternative route while the police ordered them to leave the scene. As one individual accused the officer of acting like a "gangster," he encouraged his friend to record their altercation. The man can later be heard telling the officer, "If you want to show gangsterism, this is Singapore; it’s not gangsterism for you." The altercation took place in a back lane on Sam Leong Road, near the site where a 25-year-old man was allegedly murdered. The alleged perpetrator, Muhammad Sajid Saleem, 22, was charged with the murder on Monday, alongside five other individuals related to the incident. Notably, the four men charged on Wednesday are not connected to the murder case. In court, the men expressed their intention to seek legal representation. The police prosecutor noted that investigations are ongoing and that additional charges could be forthcoming. According to a police press release, the four men approached the cordoned-off area and were advised to take an alternative route. Despite this, three of the men allegedly taunted the officers and used abusive language, while the fourth recorded the interactions on his mobile phone. The police stated that officers exercised restraint and attempted to de-escalate the situation amid the ongoing murder investigation. The group only used the alternative route after significant persuasion from law enforcement. The police emphasised that they would not hesitate to take action against individuals obstructing public servants in their duties or using abusive behavior towards officers. Under the law, those found guilty of using abusive language against a public servant could face up to a year in jail, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both. Offenders of public nuisance can be sentenced to up to three months in jail, a fine of up to S$2,000, or both. The four men are scheduled to return to court on 8 October.