Man in abuse video charged with abetting neighbour
A screenshot from the viral video of Ms Kamisah Burel being hit by her daughter. Photo: Facebook/ApohTeckyNumero
SINGAPORE — In a surprising turn of events, a neighbour of the household at the centre of an abuse video that went viral this week was charged in court this afternoon (July 24).
Darwinder Singh, 39, was charged with abetting his neighbour Siti Nur Redha in voluntarily causing hurt to her mother by feeding the latter with human faeces and urine.
A district court heard that Singh allegedly abetted Ms Siti on July 1 at Block 48, Lower Delta Road. No charge has currently been brought against Ms Siti.
The prosecution requested for Singh to be held in custody for the police to conduct raids and visit the alleged crime scene to investigate “the offences that have taken place over a long period of time”.
Singh, dressed in a blue polo T-shirt today, told the court that Ms Siti had been feeding her mother Kamisah Burel with faeces and urine daily. “I ask them to feed her only once, but they do that every day,” he said. He added that he had pawned jewellery and sold mobile phones as Ms Siti had asked him for money.
Singh will be back in court next Friday. If convicted of abetting in voluntarily causing hurt, he may be jailed up to seven years, fined and caned.
A video of Ms Kamisah being hit by a younger woman outside a HDB flat went viral earlier this week, promoting investigations by the Ministry of Social and Family Development. The police are also investigating reports lodged against Ms Siti and Ms Kamisah’s husband, with the reports classified as a case of voluntarily causing hurt.
Speaking at the opening of the Social Service Office in Yishun today, Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin acknowledged that the public is eager to see justice done, but called for sensitivity while investigations are ongoing, noting the intense pressure on the family.
“Behaviours like this should not be tolerated, and we should follow up and take action,” he said. “But ... after that takes place and the authorities step in ... we would very much appreciate if ... the public (doesn’t) start highlighting their address, names, almost having a public jury or trialling without the individuals’ consent.” ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LYNETTE TAN
