Teen girl who was part of group that tortured special needs youth over multiple days pleads guilty

Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
Jun 12, 2023

A teenage girl, who was part of a group that tormented a 19-year-old special needs youth in a hotel room, has become the final person to admit to her role in the victim’s abuse.

She had boiled some water in a kettle before one of her accomplices, Muhammad Shahfakhry Mohamad Faizal, poured its contents over the victim’s back.

The victim, who was subjected to multiple acts of abuse from Jan 17 to 25, 2022, was later found in critical condition. He was taken to hospital where he was warded for about 10 days.

The girl, who turned 18 last week, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count each of assault and drug consumption.

She cannot be named as she was 16 when she took part in the teen’s assault, and 17 when she consumed methamphetamine. Those below 18 are protected under the Children and Young Persons Act.

Shahfakhry, 22, was sentenced to 5½ years’ jail in February 2023 after he pleaded guilty to two counts each of assault and drug-related offences.

On Sept 14, 2022, another member of the group, Putri Nuramira Aishah Rosli, then 20, was sentenced to at least a year of reformative training.

Another teenage girl linked to the victim’s torture was sentenced to at least a year of reformative training in July 2022. She also cannot be named because she was only 16 at the time of her offences.

Court documents had referred to her as A2 while the girl who was convicted on Monday was known as A1.

Young people under reformative training are detained in a centre and made to follow a strict regimen that can include foot drills and counselling.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Selene Yap said that on Jan 15, 2022, Shahfakhry, Putri and A2 were in a room at the Arton Boutique Hotel in Tyrwhitt Road near Lavender Street to consume drugs.

The victim later joined the trio in the room and started staying over two days later.

On Jan 17, 2022, Shahfakhry and A2 began assaulting the victim, while A1 recorded one of the incidents.

In earlier proceedings, the court heard that the victim had purportedly made advances towards some of the female offenders.

Two days later, A1 boiled water in a kettle.

DPP Yap told the court: “She then pointed towards the victim... gesturing to Shahfakhry to pour the hot water on the victim. Shahfakhry then took the kettle containing hot water and poured the water on the victim’s back in (her) presence.”

Between Jan 17 and 25, 2022, Shahfakhry also committed other acts such as punching and kicking the victim and hitting him with a dustpan.

Within the same period, Putri slapped, punched and kicked the victim. She also used a razor blade to cut his arms when she thought he was staring at her legs.

A1 was in the same room when her accomplices committed some of the offences, but she did not take part in the attacks.

On Jan 23, 2022, the victim’s sister saw a social media post that had a picture of a badly injured person who appeared to be her brother. She alerted the police two days later.

Shahfakhry, Putri and A2 eventually stopped assaulting the victim on Jan 25, 2022, when they saw he was in a bad state. They brought him medication and bandages for his wounds.

Following an investigation, police found the victim in the hotel room with the trio on Jan 26, 2022, and arrested them. Officers nabbed A1 the next day, but she was later released.

The victim was taken to Singapore General Hospital, where he was found with injuries including facial fractures, burns and slash wounds.

Separately, A1 was in a room at the Studio M hotel in Nanson Road near Havelock Road on Aug 11, 2022, when police arrested her for drug consumption.

Her urine samples were later found to contain traces of methamphetamine.

On Monday, the court called for reports to assess her suitability for probation and reformative training.

Her mitigation and sentencing are expected to take place on July 19.