Legless body in suitcase: Duo on trial for strangling, dismembering compatriot
Ramzan Rizwan, 25, in red, and Rasheed Muhammad, 43 (second from right facing camera) arrive at the State Courts on June 14, 2014 to be charged for murder in the case of a legless body found in Syed Alwi Road. Photo: Don Wong
SINGAPORE — They gambled and lost at a card game. To get their money back from the winner, two Pakistan nationals smothered him to death, took S$6,000 from him, then dismembered him and stashed the body in two suitcases in broad daylight.
This was what prosecutors say happened in a shocking case in 2014 where a legless torso was found in a bloodied grey suitcase abandoned along Syed Alwi Road, and his legs were found in a black suitcase in a cemetery the next day.
At the start of the seven-day joint murder trial of Rasheed Muhammad, 45, and Ramzan Rizwan, 27, prosecutors also gave details of how the duo allegedly tried to hide their act.
They had planned to dump Muhammad Noor’s body at Jalan Kubor Muslim Cemetery, but were foiled by a broken wheel of the grey suitcase containing the 59-year-old victim’s legless torso. The bloodied suitcase ended up being abandoned along Syed Alwi Road, and was stumbled upon by an 81-year-old man.
The alleged murder happened between 12.01am and 6.04pm on June 11, 2014, days after Rasheed and Ramzan lost money to Muhammad at a card game. Rasheed and Muhammad were sharing a room at a lodging house at 6 Rowell Road then. The court was not told what game the trio — all on social visit passes — played, nor how much exchanged hands.
That day, the duo entered the room, where Ramzan allegedly took Rasheed’s shirt hanging at the back of the door and pressed it against Muhammad’s face. At the same time, Rasheed allegedly used a string to strangle the victim. The duo then took about S$6,000 from Muhammad, a fellow Pakistani.
Later that day, between 9am and 11.17am, Rasheed and Ramzan allegedly headed to Mustafa Centre where they bought an electric saw and a grey suitcase. On the way back, they also bought a bow saw and trash bags.
Back at the room, they allegedly sawed off Muhammad’s legs at his upper thighs, and wrapped up the body and legs in trash bags. After that, Rasheed and Ramzan made a second trip to Mustafa Centre to buy another suitcase, which they allegedly used to pack Muhammad’s legs into.
After cleaning up the scene with soap powder, they each pulled one suitcase out of the house. Along the way to Jalan Kubor Muslim Cemetery, one of the wheels of the grey suitcase Rasheed was pulling broke along Syed Alwi Road, causing blood to flow out. They abandoned the suitcase there, but stuck to their plan to dump the other suitcase at the cemetery, prosecutors said.
The next afternoon, Rasheed and Ramzan were arrested separately.
On Tuesday (Nov 8), Ramzan’s lawyer, R S Bajwa, challenged the admissibility of a statement recorded from his client on June 18, arguing that he had been “induced” by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Tan Boon Kok to admit to the murder. “Through the interpreter, you assured the accused (Ramzan) that if he were to cooperate with you and admit to committing the offence, he would not get the death penalty,” the lawyer charged. ASP Tan disagreed.
Mr Bajwa also argued that Ramzan was not fit to have his statement taken that day, given that it was hours after he had attempted suicide in jail by trying to strangle himself with a shirt. Ramzan should have been referred to a psychiatrist, Mr Bajwa added. ASP Tan said his team had assessed Ramzan to be fit to give his statement: “He said he (attempted suicide) to attract attention of officers who were ignoring him. So I wouldn’t say it’s exactly a suicide attempt, according to him.”
The trial continues on Wednesday. If convicted, Rasheed and Ramzan will be hanged.
