Fatal brawl near Kitchener Road: Man, 22, charged with murder and faces death penalty, five others with rioting

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): A 22-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a 25-year-old man after a fatal brawl near Jalan Besar that occurred around 4am on Sept 22.

Appearing via video link on Sept 23, Muhammad Sajid Saleem, who is in police custody, stood expressionless as his single charge was read out to him.

He is accused of the murder of Dhinessh Vasie, and faces the death penalty if he is found guilty.

The incident is said to have taken place near Kim San Leng Eating House in Verdun Road, near Kitchener Road.

Three other men and two women were charged with rioting with a deadly weapon while being members of an unlawful assembly, in connection with the case.

All five, who are currently remanded by the police, appeared together in the State Courts on Sept 23 via video link.

The three men are Pradave Shashi Kumar, 20, Satish Jason Prabahas, 23, and Kirrthik Roshan Prem Ananth, 22.

The two women are Nur Diyana Harun Al Rasheed, 24, and Kasthuri Kallidas Marimuthu, 24.

The court heard that the five had caused hurt to Dhinessh, Naviinjaay C. Nathan and K. Vicknesh.

At the State Courts, two women were heard wailing when Sajid’s murder charge was read out to him in court. A man who was with them was seen silently crying with his head in his hands.

Divanan Narkunan of Phoenix Law, who is representing Sajid, was denied a chance to speak to his client as the judge agreed with the prosecution that Sajid will remain in custody until the next mention of the case on Sept 30.

District Judge Eugene Teo also denied Sajid’s request to speak to his family, adding that both requests can be reconsidered at the next mention.

The prosecution was granted its application to continue to keep in remand the five charged with rioting, after informing the judge that custody is required to conduct raids, seize evidence and visit the crime scene, similar to the application made for Sajid.

The judge said the five will return on Sept 30 to determine if bail for them can be granted.

Those found guilty of rioting while armed with a deadly weapon can face up to 10 years’ jail and caning.

Diyana and Kasthuri cannot be caned as they are women.

Murder cases in 2024

The Verdun Road incident marks the sixth murder case in Singapore in 2024 to date, doubling the total number of murder cases in 2023.

On Jan 6, Quek Eng Hock, 65, was charged with the murder of his 43-year-old neighbour in Bukit Batok.

The female victim cannot be named due to a court-imposed gag order. Her five-year-old son was found injured at the scene.

On May 9, Chinese national Li Ye, 37, was charged with the murder of Mr Lim Lai Guan, 56, in a Beach Road condominium.

The pair were believed to have been in a romantic relationship. Li told the court it was a case of manslaughter as she did not intend to kill him.

On June 6, Ridawi Morsudin, 88, was charged with the murder of his wife, Madam Aminah Abdul, 74, at their Bukit Panjang Housing Board flat.

On July 28, Affendi Yusoff, 49, was charged with the murder of Mr Fiqri Choo Iskandar, 35, at the lift landing of an HDB flat in Yishun.

On Sept 8, Chinese national Wu Tao, 41, was charged with the murder of Ms Tan Kamonwan, 48, at Maxwell Food Centre. – The Straits Times/ANN