Man slaps student chanting gang cheer in Hougang void deck, robs victim and 4 friends

A Secondary 2 student chanting gang cheer was slapped in the face by a man who afterwards took about $100 from the victim and his four friends. 

The incident happened at Block 2 Hougang Avenue 3 last Friday (Oct 13) at 9.55am.

A passer-by who witnessed the situation intervened, and the man fled, reports Lianhe Wanbao.

The suspect, Chia Kok Long, 31, was arrested by the police. 

He was charged in court on Saturday for the crime of robbery with hurt. 

The police received a report lodged by five victims on Oct 13, at 9.55am, said the police in an official statement.

Officers from the Ang Mo Kio Police Division conducted an extensive follow-up investigation to establish the suspect’s identity and arrested him within 12 hours of the report. 

The court heard that the five victims were students in a school close to the scene of the crime, and had gathered at the void deck as there was no school. 

One of the victims started chanting a gang cheer, rousing the attention of Chia.

He approached the victim and slapped him twice.

Chia then asked all five victims to hand over their money, or he would expose their behaviour to the public and cause them ‘trouble’. 

The group handed over cash amounting to almost $100. 

However, upon intervention by a member of the public, Chia quickly returned most of his loot to four of the victims, but kept the money from the victim whom he had slapped, before fleeing. 

If he is convicted, Chia could face a jail term between five years and 20 years. 

He can also be subjected to no less than 12 strokes of the cane.