The 39-year-old man who kidnapped his former girlfriend’s 2 year old and held the toddler hostage in their Sembawang rental flat for 17 hours last September pled guilty in court yesterday.
Muhammad Iskandah Suhaimi confessed he took the toddler away from the mother without her consent, claiming that he was worried she would report him to the police for drug abuse.
He also admitted to three other charges, including owning a scheduled weapon in the form of a knuckleduster, and possessing and consuming methamphetamine. His sentencing, which has been adjourned to Feb. 26, will also encompass one count of possessing drug-taking utensils, Yahoo News Singapore noted.
The 33-year-old woman and the toddler cannot be named due to a gag order.
In court, it was revealed that around 4pm on Sept 27 last year, Iskandah tricked his girlfriend into stepping out of the flat under the pretense that he needed cigarettes. He had been living with her at the flat in Block 462 along Sembawang Drive since October 2015.
But once she was out the door, Iskandah grabbed the toddler back in and locked her out without her keys. The prosecution noted that she was fearful and alarmed by his actions, as he ignored her pleas and even challenged her to call the police, TODAY reported.
She then went to her mother for help, and an officer arrived about 15 minutes after the police were alerted at 6:43pm. Unfortunately, the negotiations were futile as Iskandah wanted his girlfriend in exchange for the boy, but she refused to comply, as he had a history of violence towards her and their relationship was already on the rocks.
The court heard that Iskandah — who had consumed methamphetamine earlier that morning — appeared aggressive and highly agitated during his interactions with the police. Negotiations with the Crisis Negotiation Unit went on through the night, with Iskandah remaining uncooperative, occasionally incoherent, and observed to be taking drugs at one point.
Finally, around noon the next day, when Iskandah took a toilet break, a Special Operations Command team grabbed the opportunity to forcibly enter the unit through a window and remove the front gate. The boy was rescued and Iskandah was arrested, bringing an end to the 17-hour stand-off.
Iskandah, who was not represented by a lawyer, said he was “seeking leniency”. No stranger to appearing in court, he was previously sentenced to several jail terms in 2001, 2003, 2007, and 2009 for drug consumption, theft, and attempted rape.
The prosecution requested for an “updated psychiatric report” on him before deciding on its sentencing submissions.
For kidnapping, he can be jailed up to 10 years, and/or fined or caned. For his possession of the knuckleduster, he can be jailed up to five years and/or caned up to six strokes.
