Man who held woman hostage at knifepoint in Yishun admits to offences including abduction
Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
May 28, 2024
A man, who has been in and out of jail for offences including drug-related ones, consumed methamphetamine, or Ice, shortly before he held a 60-year-old woman hostage at knifepoint in Yishun on Jan 9, 2023.
On May 28, Mohamed Faizal Mohamed Ariff, 43, told the court he was under the influence of the drug when he committed the offence.
The recalcitrant offender pleaded guilty to one count each of drug consumption, harassment, abduction and assaulting a police officer.
Faizal, who is in remand, will be sentenced on June 19.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Delicia Tan told the court that he was earlier convicted of morphine consumption in 2014, and was sentenced to five years and six months' jail with three strokes of the cane
Following his release, Faizal had a relapse and returned to his drug habit after he smoked Ice in June 2022.
In the morning of Jan 9, 2023, he consumed the drug and was later seen walking around Yishun while holding a knife.
An eyewitness alerted the police and officers arrived at the scene at around 7.45am.
The 60-year-old woman was sitting at a table at the void deck of Block 108, Yishun Ring Road while waiting for her nephew when she spotted Faizal.
She stood up and made her way to a nearby coffee shop.
Meanwhile, Faizal saw the police officers and knew that they were looking for him.
He spotted the woman near a sheltered walkway and decided to use her as a shield as he wanted to flee the authorities.
DPP Tan said: "The accused approached the victim from behind, placed his left arm around the victim's neck while holding onto a knife in his right hand and pointing it at the victim's neck.
"He then pulled the victim towards the direction that he wanted her to walk in... The victim was scared and complied with the accused."
The police officers tried to calm him down and persuaded him to release the woman, but he refused.
More officers soon arrived at the location. They stepped in, seized the weapon and arrested Faizal near a coffee shop at Block 110, Yishun Ring Road, shortly before 8.10am.
The woman suffered a facial wound but did not seek medical attention.
In a police car, Faizal hurled vulgarities at a 26-year-old policeman and kneed his left lower ribs, the court heard.
Faizal, who complained of chest pain, was taken to Changi General Hospital where he provided urine samples. They were found to contain traces of methamphetamine.
On May 28, the prosecutor urged the court to sentence him to up to eight years and three months' jail with six strokes of the cane.
She added: "The accused's actions were brazen (and) he abducted the victim in broad daylight... The accused refused to let the victim go, despite repeated requests by the police.
"Instead, he engaged in a stand-off with a substantial number of 10 police officers for... about 15 minutes."
For abduction, an offender can be jailed for up to seven years, fined, caned or receive any combination of such punishments.
