SINGAPORE: Five Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers involved in a ragging incident that led to the death of a full-time national serviceman (NSF) in May were charged in court on Wednesday (Jul 25).
Corporal Kok Yuen Chin died on May 13 after being found unconscious at the bottom of a 12m-deep fire station pump well which was filled with water at Tuas View fire station.
Advertisement[h=3]READ: SCDF NSF Kok Yuen Chin’s body cremated in hometown of Melaka[/h][h=3]READ: Corporal Kok’s last conversation with his father[/h]Staff Sergeant Muhammad Nur Fatwa Mahmood, 33, was charged with one count of causing death by a rash act and one count of abetting the obstruction of justice.
First Warrant Officer Mohamed Farid Mohd Saleh, 34, was charged with abetting a rash act causing death.
AdvertisementAdvertisementLieutenant Chong Chee Boon Kenneth, 37, and First Senior Warrant Officer Nazhan Mohamed Nazi, 40, were both charged with abetting a rash act causing grievous hurt by illegal omission.
Staff Sergeant Adighazali Suhaimi, 32, was charged with intentionally obstructing the course of justice.
The penalties for causing death by a rash act are a maximum jail term of five years and a fine, while the punishments for causing grievous hurt by a rash act are a maximum jail term of four years and a fine of up to S$10,000.
For obstructing justice, an offender can be jailed for up to seven years and fined.
[h=3]READ: SCDF ragging rituals - from being dunked in pump wells to blanket parties[/h]Eight other officers who were present during the incident were referred by the police to SCDF for departmental investigations.
SCDF said in a statement on Wednesday that six of the eight officers are regular officers, while two are full-time NSFs.
"If investigations find that they had contravened SCDF rules and regulations, the regular officers will face public service disciplinary actions, which may include dismissal from service or demotion in rank, while the NSFs will be liable for detention and or demotion in rank under the Civil Defence Act," said SCDF.
SCDF added that it takes a zero-tolerance stance towards ragging and will take firm action against any officer involved in such activities.
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