6-12-2024 (SINGAPORE) Three American brothers have received jail terms after admitting to possessing lethal weapons during a confrontation at a popular Singaporean dining establishment.
The Martinez-Arizala siblings—Albert Max, 25, Alexis Jesus, 21, and Alejandro Jr, 18—appeared before the courts on 5 December where they entered guilty pleas for carrying weapons capable of causing death. The eldest brother, Albert, received a six-week custodial sentence, whilst Alexis was handed a four-week term. The youngest sibling, Alejandro, was given a 14-day short detention order, which allows for the avoidance of a criminal record post-release.
The incident unfolded following the brothers’ arrival in Singapore on 26 July 2024. After an evening of nightclub-hopping, a series of events at Tai Heng Teochew Porridge Stall in Orchard Plaza led to a heated dispute. The confrontation began when Alexis and Alejandro attempted to socialise with female patrons, leading to tensions with both the establishment’s proprietor and a patron identifying himself as one of the women’s partner.
Following the initial altercation, the brothers reunited and, acting on false claims of being attacked by multiple assailants, armed themselves with 18-centimetre bladed weapons purchased from a nearby market. They returned to the eatery at approximately 9am, demanding to see the owner and brandishing the weapons whilst seeking monetary compensation.
The situation reached its climax when patrons noticed one of the weapons falling through Albert’s torn trousers, prompting the establishment’s co-owner to alert authorities. The brothers hastily departed, disposing of their weapons in a nearby shopping centre where they were later apprehended by law enforcement.
During court proceedings, Defence Counsel A. Rajandran revealed that the brothers had previously experienced a violent robbery in Thailand, though acknowledged this bore no direct relation to their actions in Singapore. The prosecution, led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Joelle Loy, emphasised the fortunate absence of injuries despite the presence of potentially lethal weapons.
Under Singaporean law, the possession of weapons likely to cause death carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
