The rivalry between two neighbouring murtabak outlets in North Bridge Road took an unsavoury turn when a supervisor of Victory restaurant was slashed in the face in a 2015 attack.
After a trial, a former director of Singapore Zam Zam restaurant, Zackeer Abbass Khan, 49, and his friend Anwer Ambiya Kadir Maideen, 50, were found guilty of one count each of engaging in a conspiracy to cause grievous hurt to Mr Liakath Ali Mohamed Ibrahim, owner of Victory murtabak restaurant, with a weapon. The attack took place around 10pm on Aug 26, 2015.
Zackeer had instructed business associate and long-time friend Anwer Ambiya Kadir Maideen, 50, to hire a hitman to attack the victim. Anwer, the middleman in the scheme, was given five-and-a-half years’ jail for his part in the attack.
He had hired Joshua Navindran Surainthiran from the Sio Ang Koon gang to slash the victim on the face with a knife on Aug 26, 2015, for S$1,700.For slashing the victim on the face, Joshua was sentenced to six-and-a-half years’ jail and six strokes of the cane in 2016, after pleading guilty to several charges.
“The resulting consequences can be severe for both the victim and the perpetrators involved. Certainly there can be no place in our society for gratuitous violence arising out of mere business rivalry,” said the judge Joseph.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Claire Poh had asked for six years and six months’ jail and six strokes of the cane for Zackeer, whom she called the mastermind in the case. whilst asking for five years and seven months’ jail for Anwer, of which three months were in lieu of six strokes of the cane as he has turned 50.