Teen slashed in People's Park brawl during circuit breaker faces multiple charges

The brawl took place on the 16th storey of Block 101 Upper Cross Street, People's Park Centre on May 10, 2020. PHOTO: KAKISCLUBSINGAPORE/FACEBOOK

SINGAPORE - A teenager who was slashed during a brawl in Chinatown during the circuit breaker period is facing multiple charges, including multiple counts of cheating and being part of an unlawful assembly.

Muhammed Shazryl Hykel Abdullah, 19, suffered slash wounds on his back and other injuries after his assailants attacked him with knives on May 10.

A video of the brawl was captured on closed-circuit television and was later widely shared on social media.

The clip shows two groups of people fighting in a corridor on the 16th storey of Block 101 Upper Cross Street, People's Park Centre.

Shazryl, whose case was heard in a district court on Thursday (Oct 22), was earlier charged with two offences under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, as well as one count each of being part of an unlawful assembly and having drug paraphernalia in his possession.

The stateless teenager is also facing six counts of cheating and three counts of attempted cheating. His cheating charges involved more than $12,000 in total.

According to court documents, Shazryl went to a South Bridge Road convenience store at around 1.30am on Nov 16 last year and allegedly used another man's debit card to buy a packet of cigarettes worth $12.10.

He is also accused of using another card belonging to the same man later that morning to pay for three hotel rooms and two mobile phones. They were worth nearly $4,000 in all.

Court documents do not state how he got hold of the cards.

Shazryl also went to VivoCity shopping mall later that day. He is accused of working with two others - Mohamed Daanish Ali Khan Zulluf Kar Ali Khan, 19, and Dani Zulastri Mohamad Salim, 20 - to use one of the man's cards to buy five more mobile phones worth more than $8,700 in total.

The cases involving Daanish and Dani are still pending.

Shazryl's other alleged offences occurred during the circuit breaker period from April 7 to June 1.

During this time, people were not allowed to leave their homes without a valid reason or meet others from different households to socialise.

Despite this, Shazryl allegedly left his home on April 16 to meet a group of people for a "casual chatting session" in Teck Whye Crescent.

On May 10, the day of the Chinatown brawl, he allegedly met four men for a social purpose at People's Park Centre despite the circuit breaker.

All five are also accused of being members of an unlawful assembly that came together to cause hurt to 20-year-old Noor Najat Alwi - one of Shazryl's attackers - and his group.

In addition, Shazryl allegedly had drug paraphernalia such as clear pipes in his possession at People's Park Centre that morning.

His case has been adjourned to Nov 2. For each count of cheating, an offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

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