SINGAPORE — After a heated argument at his flat with his girlfriend, Muhammad Anuar Aman, 37, held up a chopper near her neck to teach her a lesson for being “rude”.
The confrontation ended only after Anuar’s wife, 42, who was also at home and had watched them argue, stepped in and pushed her husband away from his girlfriend, 29.
For his actions, the Singaporean was on Friday (Nov 10) sentenced to seven weeks’ jail for using a chopper to threaten his then girlfriend while they were at home in front of his wife.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal intimidation. One charge each of voluntarily causing hurt and intentionally causing harassment or distress were taken into consideration during sentencing.
WHAT HAPPENED
The court heard that when the incident happened on Oct 10, Anuar, his wife and his girlfriend were at his flat.
Anuar was speaking to his girlfriend, but she ignored him.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Emily Koh said that this led to a “heated argument” between them because Anuar felt that the victim was being “rude”.
He then slapped the victim on the face — which became the subject of one of the charges taken into consideration — before walking off to the kitchen.
He came back shortly after that with a 28cm-long chopper and held it near her neck, threatening to “slice” and “chop” her.
The victim could only cry and did not react as she feared for her safety, DPP Koh said.
The situation calmed down a little when Anuar’s wife stepped in and pushed him away. He then left the home.
Court documents showed that he had also threatened his girlfriend to drag her one-year-old daughter off the bed by her legs.
The victim met up with a social worker two days later to discuss financial assistance. During their conversation, she told the officer about the incident.
The social worker then called the police emergency hotline, informing the authorities that Anuar had slapped her client and threatened her with a knife. The social worker also told the authorities that his wife had been physically abused before.
Anuar, who was at home, was arrested on the same day.
The prosecution sought a jail term of between seven and nine weeks, noting that a weapon was used and that he had pleaded guilty.
Anuar, who did not have legal representation, appeared in court on Friday via video-link from his place of remand.
Speaking through a Malay interpreter, he pleaded for leniency, saying that he would spend his entire life regretting his actions and would not repeat them.
District Judge Kenneth Chin said that he has taken into consideration Anuar’s early plea of guilt and applied the appropriate sentencing discount, which was backdated to his date of arrest on Oct 12.
For criminal intimidation, Anuar could have been sentenced to two years’ jail or fined, or both. Criminal intimidation to cause death or grievous hurt can carry a harsher punishment of up to 10 years’ jail or a fine, or both.