15-3-2024 (SINGAPORE) A violent altercation involving a boatman has resulted in a 68-year-old man facing a probable permanent disability, with medical experts indicating no likelihood of a full recovery.
The incident unfolded at Marina South Pier, where the boatman, Muhamed Munzir Mohamed Sharil, engaged in a dispute that culminated in him assaulting the older man, who owned a boat.
Munzir, aged 34 at the time, pleaded guilty on February 15 to a charge of voluntarily causing hurt and was subsequently sentenced to a term of one year and two months in jail.
At the time of the altercation in 2023, Munzir was employed as a boatman for Seacabbie, a company specializing in passenger boat transportation within the port of Singapore.
On March 8 of that year, at approximately 8:51 am, the victim, Mr. Chee Tzy Seah, was aboard his own vessel docked at Platform 1 of Marina South Pier.
Upon feeling a collision, Mr. Chee and his shipmaster noticed Munzir’s vessel approaching alongside theirs. Following the collision, an argument ensued, during which Mr. Chee and his shipmaster instructed Munzir to reduce the speed of his vessel.
Subsequently, Munzir berthed his vessel behind Mr. Chee’s boat. In the midst of this, Mr. Chee left the cabin to inspect his vessel, at which point Munzir boarded the boat and delivered two punches to Mr. Chee’s face, causing him to collapse.
Mr. Chee was subsequently hospitalized at Singapore General Hospital and was discharged on March 14, 2023. Additionally, he was granted 30 days of hospitalization leave.
Further medical examinations at the Pinnacle Spine and Scoliosis Centre in Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre revealed a spinal cord injury. Despite undergoing surgery and subsequent medical treatment, Mr. Chee continues to experience debilitating symptoms, including numbness and weakness, which medical experts suggest may result in permanent disability.
The prosecution, seeking a minimum jail term of 15 months, characterized Munzir’s actions as a grossly disproportionate response to the initial argument, emphasizing the unjustifiable nature of the assault.
It was revealed that Munzir had previous legal issues, having been charged with rioting in 2021, for which he received an 18-month jail sentence and three strokes of the cane.
The offense of voluntarily causing hurt carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment and a fine of $5,000 per count.
