By Shaffiq Alkhatib
The New Paper
Monday, Apr 02, 2012
A SilkAir pilot accused of assault by a former neighbor claimed in court that the latter was the aggressor and had attacked him.
Taxi driver Chua Hock Kwee, 57, had filed a magistrate's complaint against Ajmer Singh Ajit Singh on May 22, 2010.
When the case went to court on Monday, Mr Chua testified that the pilot had punched him on the left cheek at a coffee shop in Changi Garden Condominium at Upper Changi Road North at around 7pm on May 8, 2010.
On Tuesday, Ajmer Singh, 46, who is chairman of the SilkAir branch of the Air Line Pilots Association Singapore, took the stand to give his version of events and also revealed that he had lodged a magistrate's complaint against Mr Chua on July 15, 2010.
The court heard that the pilot was a member of the condominium's management committee strata title (MCST).
Ajmer Singh said that he was at home that evening, cooking for his four children, aged between five and eight years old, when he received a call asking him to go to the coffee shop.
The caller, security guard Ranjit Singh, told him that a resident, Mr Yong Fah Nam, wanted to speak to him.
The accused told District Judge Roy Neighbour that he went downstairs about 20 minutes later and saw Mr Yong and Mr Chua drinking beer.
He said Mr Yong appeared flushed and he saw more than 10 green beer bottles on the table.
"Mr Yong attempted to stand but was unable to and sat down. He was polite. He leaned back on his chair, put his hands on my hips and started talking to me," Ajmer Singh said.
Mr Yong then complained to him, claiming that the MCST was not doing its job as he had spotted Mr Ranjit Singh drinking coffee at the coffee shop.
Mr Yong felt that Mr Ranjit Singh should have been in the guardhouse, the court heard.
Ajmer Singh said: "I advised Mr Yong that the security officer was entitled to his coffee break and he remained silent.
"I also advised him that if he has any complaints, he could write to the MCST and we would respond."
Mr Yong then accused him of putting "sand in his rice bowl", Ajmer Singh said.
"He said that I had asked to have two 'base stations' that were installed in his house to be removed.
"I told him that the decision was made by the MCST and not me. And when the decision was passed, I was not even in the council."
It was not mentioned in court what these "base stations" were.
Ajmer Singh told the court that Mr Chua, who was with Mr Yong, drinking beer, suddenly lunged forward and attacked him.
He recalled putting up his hands to protect himself.
Mr Chua, who is represented by Mr Kertar Singh and Mr Anil Singh Sandhu, then fell on Mr Yong, the court heard.
The pilot said that Mr Chua hit his head on Mr Yong's right shoulder.
Ajmer Singh, who is represented by lawyer Subir Singh, said he tried to back off but Mr Chua got up and started hurling vulgarities at him.
"Mr Chua shouted that he was a gangster and challenged me to a one-to-one duel outside, at the road leading to the condominium.
"He was violent, angry and very aggressive. He was also reasonably drunk."
Ajmer Singh said he did not want to fight Mr Chua who became "more violent and aggressive". The latter then went into the coffee shop, took out an object from a drawer and rushed out.
It was not mentioned in court what this object was, but Ajmer Singh said it was "shiny".
He said Mr Chua charged towards Mr Ranjit Singh, who was nearby.
"Ranjit quickly picked up the nearest chair he could find to ward off the attack."
Called police
Ajmer Singh said the security guard then called the police who arrived minutes later.
He told the court that he filed a police report three days later.
Ajmer Singh said that Mr Chua and his girlfriend, said to be Mr Yong's tenants, started harassing him after this incident.
"Whenever I passed by, I would be harassed by means of gestures and vulgarities from Mr Chua and his girlfriend," he said.
He feared for his family and made three more police reports after this and the magistrate's complaint.
Ajmer Singh also told the court that Mr Chua's unit was raided by the Central Narcotics Bureau on March 19 this year.
But Mr Kertar Singh objected to this accusation as it was not put to Mr Chua during his cross-examination earlier.
The case will resume on April 9.
Anyone convicted of voluntarily causing hurt can be jailed up to two years and fined up to $5,000.
The New Paper
Monday, Apr 02, 2012
A SilkAir pilot accused of assault by a former neighbor claimed in court that the latter was the aggressor and had attacked him.
Taxi driver Chua Hock Kwee, 57, had filed a magistrate's complaint against Ajmer Singh Ajit Singh on May 22, 2010.
When the case went to court on Monday, Mr Chua testified that the pilot had punched him on the left cheek at a coffee shop in Changi Garden Condominium at Upper Changi Road North at around 7pm on May 8, 2010.
On Tuesday, Ajmer Singh, 46, who is chairman of the SilkAir branch of the Air Line Pilots Association Singapore, took the stand to give his version of events and also revealed that he had lodged a magistrate's complaint against Mr Chua on July 15, 2010.
The court heard that the pilot was a member of the condominium's management committee strata title (MCST).
Ajmer Singh said that he was at home that evening, cooking for his four children, aged between five and eight years old, when he received a call asking him to go to the coffee shop.
The caller, security guard Ranjit Singh, told him that a resident, Mr Yong Fah Nam, wanted to speak to him.
The accused told District Judge Roy Neighbour that he went downstairs about 20 minutes later and saw Mr Yong and Mr Chua drinking beer.
He said Mr Yong appeared flushed and he saw more than 10 green beer bottles on the table.
"Mr Yong attempted to stand but was unable to and sat down. He was polite. He leaned back on his chair, put his hands on my hips and started talking to me," Ajmer Singh said.
Mr Yong then complained to him, claiming that the MCST was not doing its job as he had spotted Mr Ranjit Singh drinking coffee at the coffee shop.
Mr Yong felt that Mr Ranjit Singh should have been in the guardhouse, the court heard.
Ajmer Singh said: "I advised Mr Yong that the security officer was entitled to his coffee break and he remained silent.
"I also advised him that if he has any complaints, he could write to the MCST and we would respond."
Mr Yong then accused him of putting "sand in his rice bowl", Ajmer Singh said.
"He said that I had asked to have two 'base stations' that were installed in his house to be removed.
"I told him that the decision was made by the MCST and not me. And when the decision was passed, I was not even in the council."
It was not mentioned in court what these "base stations" were.
Ajmer Singh told the court that Mr Chua, who was with Mr Yong, drinking beer, suddenly lunged forward and attacked him.
He recalled putting up his hands to protect himself.
Mr Chua, who is represented by Mr Kertar Singh and Mr Anil Singh Sandhu, then fell on Mr Yong, the court heard.
The pilot said that Mr Chua hit his head on Mr Yong's right shoulder.
Ajmer Singh, who is represented by lawyer Subir Singh, said he tried to back off but Mr Chua got up and started hurling vulgarities at him.
"Mr Chua shouted that he was a gangster and challenged me to a one-to-one duel outside, at the road leading to the condominium.
"He was violent, angry and very aggressive. He was also reasonably drunk."
Ajmer Singh said he did not want to fight Mr Chua who became "more violent and aggressive". The latter then went into the coffee shop, took out an object from a drawer and rushed out.
It was not mentioned in court what this object was, but Ajmer Singh said it was "shiny".
He said Mr Chua charged towards Mr Ranjit Singh, who was nearby.
"Ranjit quickly picked up the nearest chair he could find to ward off the attack."
Called police
Ajmer Singh said the security guard then called the police who arrived minutes later.
He told the court that he filed a police report three days later.
Ajmer Singh said that Mr Chua and his girlfriend, said to be Mr Yong's tenants, started harassing him after this incident.
"Whenever I passed by, I would be harassed by means of gestures and vulgarities from Mr Chua and his girlfriend," he said.
He feared for his family and made three more police reports after this and the magistrate's complaint.
Ajmer Singh also told the court that Mr Chua's unit was raided by the Central Narcotics Bureau on March 19 this year.
But Mr Kertar Singh objected to this accusation as it was not put to Mr Chua during his cross-examination earlier.
The case will resume on April 9.
Anyone convicted of voluntarily causing hurt can be jailed up to two years and fined up to $5,000.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
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