SINGAPORE: A man was sentenced to 11 weeks’ jail on Tuesday (Nov 1) for slashing his sister’s ex-husband with a cleaver, after assuming that the latter had taken a fruit from his potted plant.
Pong Yoke Long, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt to his former brother-in-law, aged 49.
The court heard that the victim was previously married to Pong’s sister. However, they got divorced more than two years before the slashing incident.
Despite this, Pong and his sister continued to stay with the victim in the victim’s flat in Bedok.
After the divorce, relations between Pong and the victim soured. Both men would place plants and flower pots at the common corridor outside the Housing Board flat on the 10th floor.
However, they often got into disputes over the placement of their respective plants and flower pots.
On the morning of May 10 this year, Pong noticed that a fruit that had been growing on one of his plants was missing. He assumed that the victim had intentionally removed the fruit, and was upset.
He drank alcohol at a nearby coffee shop before returning home that night.
When he entered the flat, Pong saw the victim sitting on the sofa. He was still upset with the victim over the missing fruit.
Pong then took a cleaver from the kitchen, with a 16cm-long blade, and began slashing the victim.
His sister then emerged from her bedroom and heard Pong shouting at her ex-husband in Hokkien. He said he had been tolerating the victim for very long.
The woman intervened and her ex-husband went to a room where he called the police for help. He said someone had cut him and that he was hiding in his room.
The victim was taken to hospital with lacerations on his arm and thigh. He was discharged that same day and given nine days’ medical leave.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Dhiraj G Chainani asked for 12 weeks’ jail, saying that the attack was grave and involved a dangerous weapon.
However, he noted that the injuries caused were minor.
In mitigation, Pong pleaded for leniency. He said he was the sole caregiver for his mother, who had been in and out of hospital. He said his member of parliament had also written in on his behalf.
The judge agreed with the prosecution’s sentencing submissions but noted Pong’s plea of guilt.
For voluntarily causing hurt, Pong could have been jailed for up to three years, fined up to S$5,000, or both.
No mention was made in court documents about what happened to the fruit.