47-year-old Zhao Chuanfei, a cook at a mala hotpot stall in Whampoa, pleaded guilty on 25 May to one charge of criminal intimidation and another charge of voluntarily causing hurt and was sentenced to nine months in jail after physically assaulting his manager in a fit of rage, two other charges were considered during his sentencing.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident occurred when the manager repeatedly complained about the messy state of the kitchen.
The cook, Zhao Chuanfei, 47, was employed at a coffee shop located at Block 87 Whampoa Road. On March 3, 2023, around 3:50 pm, the 36-year-old manager entered the stall’s kitchen to check on Zhao’s progress. Upon observing the disorganized plates and ingredients, the manager requested Zhao to tidy up.
In response, Zhao dismissed the manager’s request, claiming he had his own way of working. The situation escalated as the manager insisted that each workplace had different standards and suggested that Zhao could resign if he disagreed with his instructions.
Picked up a chopper
Enraged by the manager’s remarks, Zhao grabbed a chopping tool and brandished it while advancing towards him. However, he decided against using it and resorted to physically assaulting his manager instead. Zhao repeatedly struck the manager’s face and body with his fists, causing a chipped tooth and contusions.
Subsequently, Zhao dragged the manager to a secluded area while still holding the chopper. He resumed his physical assault, delivering punches to the manager’s head and body. At one point, he held the chopper against the manager’s bicep, issuing a threat to kill him if the manager persisted in pressuring him.
The manager managed to escape and promptly notified the police. He was then diagnosed by doctors to have suffered facial and bodily contusions, as well as a chipped tooth.
Told the court he earned $40 a day
During his mitigation, Zhao stated that he had come to Singapore to earn money to support his cancer-stricken 70-year-old mother and his children. He claimed that the manager frequently scolded him due to the poor business at the stall and alleged that the manager aimed to earn a referral fee by hiring a replacement cook.
He also said that he was paid $40 a day and that the manager allegedly wanted to introduce a new cook to take over his job so as to earn a $400 referral fee.
Expressing his desire for a lenient sentence, Zhao emphasized his responsibilities as a single parent caring for his children and expressed his eagerness to return home as soon as possible.
The manager spoke to SMDN and refuted Zhao’s accusations. He described Zhao as consistently problematic and prone to anger. The manager expressed regret for not terminating Zhao’s employment earlier and promised to exercise more caution when hiring future staff.