SINGAPORE – The rivalry between two neighbouring eateries in North Bridge Road took an unsavoury turn when a supervisor at Victory restaurant was slashed in the face in a 2015 attack.

After a trial, a former of director of Singapore Zam Zam restaurant, Zackeer Abbass Khan, 49, and his friend Anwer Ambiya Kadir Maideen, 50, were found guilty of one count each of engaging in a conspiracy to cause grievous hurt to Mr Liakath Ali Mohamed Ibrahim with a weapon.

The attack took place at around 10pm on Aug 26, 2015.

On Friday (March 6), District Judge Mathew Joseph also convicted Zackeer of criminal intimidation as he had threatened to injure Mr Liakath, then 52, on Aug 22 that year.

A district court heard that he told the older man in Tamil: “You watch out. In one week, I will ‘do’ you.”

Zackeer and Anwer were the last two people involved the case to be convicted. Others, including secret society member Joshua Navindran Surainthiran, who was 23 when he slashed Mr Liakath, have already been dealt with in court.

In November 2016, Joshua was sentenced to 6½ years’ jail and six strokes of the cane for the slashing and other offences.

In their submissions, Deputy Public Prosecutors Tan Wen Hsien and Claire Poh stated that the “genesis of this ill-will” could be traced to 2005 when Zackeer and Mr Liakath were business partners.

The court heard that after the business failed, Mr Liakath joined Victory Restaurant in 2014 and created “problems” for Zam Zam by pulling customers away and reporting its staff to the authorities.

The DPPs added: “Things came to a head on Aug 22, 2015, when the police arrived at the restaurants to advise them to refrain from touting. Zackeer believed that this was a set-up by the victim, and that he ratted on Zam Zam employees to the police.

“Incensed, Zackeer threatened the victim that he would hit or kill him within a week.”

Zackeer later asked Anwer to arrange an attack on Mr Liakath and offered money to get the job done.

The court heard in his statements to the authorities, Joshua had said that Anwer called him on Aug 23, 2015, and he was offered $2,000 to slash Mr Liakath’s face.

At around 10pm three days later, Joshua confronted Mr Liakath at a bridge between Rochor Canal Road and Sungei Road before slashing the older man’s face with a knife.

The DPPs stated: “After the slashing was carried out, Zackeer handed cash of $2,000 to pay Joshua. Of this sum, Anwer transferred $1,700 to Joshua’s bank account.”

The court heard that Anwer had given Joshua $200 as initial payment on  Aug 23, 2015.

Joshua, Anwer and Zackeer were later arrested on Sept 21, 2015, the court heard.

In their defence, Anwer had said that he was not involved in the slashing, while Zackeer earlier claimed that he had never seen Joshua.

Zackeer is now out on bail of $75,000 while Anwer’s bail was set at $60,000. They will be sentenced on April 13.

For his role in causing grievous hurt to their victim with a weapon, Zackeer can be sentenced to up to 15 years’ jail and fined or caned.

Anwer, who will face a similar sentence, cannot be caned as he is over 50 years old.

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