THE leader of a gang of seven who slashed to death the operator of an illegal gambling den was yesterday given a 20-year jail term and 18 strokes of the cane.
His fellow gang members each received 12 years and 10 strokes.
The seven pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter; another man alleged to have been involved in the attack, Mohamad Najiman Abdull Azis, 31, has claimed trial to a murder charge.
The attack on Mr Seah Boon Lye, 26, in Geylang Lorong 10 in the early hours of Feb 23, 2008, arose from a gangland dispute.
The accused are gang leader Suhardi Ali, 30; Ahmad Suhaimi Ismail, 17; Sufian Nordin, 24; Muhammad Haziq Mohamed, 20; Jason Luo Weiqiang, 22; Muhammad Syukur Mohamed Salleh, 19; and Adrian Toh Huang Shee, 19.
They had gone up against Mr Seah and his younger brother Boon Heng, who were also in illicit trades in the Geylang area.
Reflection:
From my own opinion, I really think that they deserved that punishment because they did a serious crime of killing someone.The punishment will show the people that we have the law to abide in and only the law can sentence any illegal activities like gambling. But I still do not think that they should be sentenced to death because no man can decide when it is time for them to die. But besides that, I agree to their punishment!
(p.s. I HATE CANING!)