In a shocking incident at a playground near a block of flats, a man played a dangerous prank by throwing a firecracker towards a group of children at a playground along Jurong.
The man, 49-year-old Ramdan Bujan, pleaded guilty to a charge of discharging fireworks and was fined $3,500 on Monday (19 June).
What happened?
On July 28, 2022, at a Housing Board block in Jurong, Ramdan Bujan, a driver in the construction industry, committed an act that endangered the safety of others. At around 3:40 p.m., a group of children, including two 10-year-old boys, a nine-year-old boy, and their friends, were enjoying themselves at the playground on the block’s first floor.
One of the boys noticed Ramdan behaving suspiciously in the common corridor and decided to keep a watchful eye on him. Ramdan, moving between lift lobbies, suddenly threw a burning spherical object towards the children. The object exploded with a loud noise, causing immense fright and prompting the children to flee from the scene in fear.
Alarmed by the explosion, one of the children approached an adult passer-by who promptly called the police. When the officers arrived, two of the boys informed them that a man had thrown something that had exploded. Armed with this description, the police quickly located Ramdan at his residence.
Initially, Ramdan denied any involvement in the incident. However, when faced with the evidence captured by a police camera, which showed him leaving his home with a spherical object in hand, and witnessing the children running towards the block, Ramdan eventually admitted to throwing the firecracker as a misguided “joke.”
Called the firecracker a Chilli Padi
Ramdan Bujan was charged with discharging fireworks, an offense that posed a threat to the safety of others. During the sentencing, an additional charge of endangering the personal safety of others by committing a rash act was taken into consideration. Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Yanying presented the case, recommending a fine ranging from $3,000 to $4,000.
Ramdan’s lawyer, Mr. S.S. Dhillon, pleaded for a minimum fine of $2,500, stating that the firecracker involved was a small one, commonly known as a “chilli padi” in Malay. Ramdan claimed to have found it on the pavement near a bus stop a year earlier and decided to keep it. According to his lawyer, Ramdan lit the firecracker for what he thought would be harmless fun. Fortunately, no one was injured, and no property was damaged.
Considering Ramdan’s remorse for his actions, his lawyer’s statements regarding his financial responsibilities as the sole breadwinner of his family, and his status as a first-time offender, the defense sought leniency in the form of a lower fine. Ultimately, the court fined Ramdan Bujan $3,500 as punishment for his reckless behavior.