A posse of robbers ambushed a manager of a money-changing business here back in 2014, making off with over $624,000 in cash as he was violently robbed in front of his 2-year-old son.
The first of the hateful eight — 28-year-old Malaysian Ravi Sandhira Sagaran — has been sentenced to seven years in jail and 12 strokes of the cane, Channel NewsAsia reports. He admitted to ganging up with six other Malaysians and one Singapore permanent resident to conduct the robbery.
The gang had meticulously planned their crime over two months, conducting deep surveillance on their 35-year-old victim. He had been targeted as the mark due to the large amounts of cash always in his possession, and would collect suitcases of cash from couriers at Changi Airport, which he would bring back home for safekeeping.
After four aborted attempts, they finally executed their plan on Nov 5, 2014 at a carpark. They prepared a car and two motorcycles as getaway vehicle and waited at the location in Geylang.
Ravi himself was part of a five-man team in charge of actually carrying out the robbery, while the others were lookouts. Donning balaclavas and sticking plaster on their fingertips (so they won’t leave prints), they pounced on the man’s car, smashing its windows with a crowbar and dragging him out. One of the men had punched the victim and even threatened to kill his son, who had been sitting in the front passenger seat.
The suitcases of cash were retrieved from the boot of the car and the robbers fled for Malaysia.
The District Judge agreed with the defense that Ravi was not the most culpable of the group, but still deserved the sentencing for his fair involvement in the operation.
Ravi is expected to take the stand as a witness for the prosecution against his fellow accused, Tachana and Annadurai, in February. Their other accomplices are still at large.
