Repeat offender burned cop with cigarette while on the run after breaking bus driver’s nose

An elderly recalcitrant offender was on the run after ganging up with a man to assault a bus driver when he swung a knife at two police officers and burned one of them with a cigarette.

Ahmad Robinson, 72, was sentenced to nine years and eight months’ jail on Nov 27, after he pleaded guilty to five charges including one count each of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to the driver and assaulting a police officer.

He had been convicted of morphine consumption in 2002, but court documents did not disclose details about his earlier sentence.

Despite this, Ahmad continued consuming morphine, and traces of the drug were found in his urine after testing in September 2021.

At around 10.30am on Nov 2, 2021, he boarded bus service number 2 with Aziz Khan Sher Khan, 62, near Selarang Halfway House in Upper Changi Road North. Both men had cans of beer in their hands.

Wearing masks was compulsory at the time due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and bus driver Hew Kim Keong, 62, noticed that the two men were not properly wearing theirs.

Mr Hew pointed this out to the pair who took their seats and continued drinking beer. After that, Mr Hew stopped the bus, approached the men and told them to put on their masks properly.

He then returned to the driver’s seat and reported the matter to the control room of bus operator Go-Ahead Singapore.

The police were alerted, and the driver was advised to stop the bus and lock its doors. Mr Hew complied and stopped along Loyang Avenue.

Ahmad and Khan became irate when they realised that the bus had stopped moving and confronted the driver.

The two men yelled at Mr Hew, asking him to open the doors, but he refused to give in to their demands.

Ahmad went towards the driver and a scuffle broke out between the pair. Khan joined in and restrained Mr Hew. Ahmad then rained blows on the driver’s head and face.

Khan and Ahmad walked away after the assault. Ahmad, however, returned and started kicking the left side of Mr Hew’s torso.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Yvonne Poon said: “In the midst of this further assault... one of the buttons at the driver’s cabin area was accidentally pressed, causing the bus doors to open... The two offenders fled the bus immediately.”

Police arrived at the scene soon after. Mr Hew was taken to Changi General Hospital where he was found with injuries including a nasal bone fracture.

Officers arrested Khan and Ahmad later that day.

In December 2021, Khan was sentenced to 10 months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt.

He was also ordered to spend an additional 24 days behind bars for committing the offence while out on remission.

Meanwhile, a warrant of arrest was issued against Ahmad after he failed to turn up in court.

He was on the run when his son alerted the police at around 5.30pm on Feb 9, 2020 that Ahmad was at the younger man’s home.

A policeman, who was then serving his national service, and a policewoman arrived at the son’s home minutes later and identified themselves when they saw Ahmad.

They were about to arrest him when he suddenly walked to a cabinet and retrieved a knife.

With the weapon in his left hand, he took a swing at the officers and threatened to kill them.

A tussle broke out when the officers tried to subdue Ahmad, who used a lit cigarette in his mouth to burn the policewoman’s left forearm.

After that, Ahmad placed the knife in his right hand, hooked his right forearm over the policeman’s neck and threatened to kill him.

Ahmad was finally arrested after the policeman grabbed the elderly man’s wrist and disarmed him.