Bouncer convicted for hiding knives in fatal Orchard brawl

Thinking he was helping his friends and colleagues, a man hid knives used in a fatal brawl outside Concorde Hotel in August 2023 and provided false statements to the police.

On Sept 6, A.R. Ridhwan Abdul Rahim, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of causing evidence to disappear and one count of providing false information to a public servant.

He was convicted of both charges.

Two similar charges will be taken into consideration when he is sentenced on Oct 7.

The bespectacled man appeared in the State Courts wearing a purple prison jumpsuit and in handcuffs. He was flanked by three officers in the dock.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Brian Tan said Ridhwan had started working as a bouncer at Club Rumours, which is on the second floor of the Concorde Hotel and Shopping Mall, some time in June 2023.

Ridhwan had known Mr Mohammad Isrrat Mohd Ismail, who died in hospital following the brawl on Aug 20, 2023.

He also knew Mr Isrrat was friends with 31-year-old Muhammad Shahrulnizam Osman, referred to as Nizam.

Both Mr Isrrat and Nizam used to be bouncers at Club Rumours. The pair also belonged to a secret society group called 369 Kallang Airport.

At about 6am on the day of the offence, Ridhwan was helping to close up Club Rumours, said DPP Tan.

When Ridhwan stepped out of the hotel, he noticed a crowd chasing after Mr Isrrat and Nizam, who were running back into the building.

He followed the commotion and saw a group of people confronting Mr Isrrat. At this point, Nizam walked to him and handed him a bread knife, saying in Malay “take this and run”.

Ridhwan took the knife back to Club Rumours, where he hid it in his locker. He then left the club to see what was happening outside.

The prosecution said Nizam went back into the club shortly after that. Meanwhile, the group continued to pursue and attack Mr Isrrat.

DPP Tan said the group of 16 people belonged to a secret society group called Ang Soon Tong Jalan Kayu Depot, a rival of Mr Isrrat’s and Nizam’s secret society.

One of the men in the group, 29-year-old Asvain Pachan Pillai Sukumaran is facing a murder charge for allegedly killing Mr Isrrat.

Ridhwan went back to Club Rumours, where he was told Nizam had used the bread knife to slash some people from the rival group.

He then went to retrieve the bread knife from his locker and handed it to Mohamad Zachary Danial Mohamad Azhar, referred to as Zach. At that time, Zach was a bouncer at Club Rumours.

The prosecutor said Ridhwan knew that Zach wanted to remove the knife from the scene as the police were on their way.

At that point, another bouncer at the club, Zurfaqar Musli, referred to as Zul, told Ridhwan that he had armed himself with another bread knife for protection.

Ridhwan then took the second bread knife from Zul and handed it to Zach, who left the club.

DPP Tan said Ridhwan then gave false statements to the investigating officers, telling them that he had picked up the knife after spotting it on the floor during the chaos.

The 22-year-old later admitted that he lied as he wanted to protect the Club Rumours bouncers from legal liability.

Zach’s case will be heard on Nov 13. He faces four charges, including being in possession of the weapon, and aiding Nizam by handing him a knife.

Zul’s case will be heard on Sept 13. He faces one charge of possession of a weapon.

Nizam’s case has been set for a pre-trial conference on Sept 19. He faces two charges of causing grievous hurt, one charge for handing Mr Isrrat a weapon, one charge of voluntarily causing hurt, and one charge for possession of a knuckle duster in a separate incident.

To date, more than 10 have been charged over their alleged involvement in the brawl.