Woman hit by bike wheel 'flung from 14th floor' dies

By Hoe Pei Shan, The Sunday Times, 8 Jun 2014

A 67-year-old woman, who was hit by a bicycle wheel allegedly thrown by a teenage boy from the 14th floor of an HDB block of flats in Eunos Crescent, died in hospital last Friday night.

Madam Mahani Abdullah had undergone emergency spinal surgery at the Singapore General Hospital after the wheel hit her on the head on May 16.

Last Tuesday, while she was in a high dependency ward following the operation, her heart stopped. Doctors managed to resuscitate her, but she slipped into a coma.

After state prosecutors learnt that Madam Mahani's condition had worsened, the charge of a rash act against teenager Abdul Hamid Rahmat, 16, was amended to one of grievous hurt last Friday.

Madam Mahani died later that night, her niece, Ms Nadia Abdullah Sani, told The Sunday Times yesterday.

She leaves two sons aged 38 and 35 and a 29-year-old daughter who is bedridden.

Abdul Hamid had been out on police bail over four "killer litter" offences at the time he allegedly hurt Madam Mahani.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Goh Yi Ling successfully applied for the teenager's bail to be revoked last Friday "in the public interest" as "he is a clear danger to the public".

He is accused of throwing bricks from the same block on three occasions. One allegedly caused grievous hurt to Myanmar national Kyi Phyu Phyo Wai, 26, who broke his hand after it hit him on Dec 13 last year.

In the fourth incident in August last year, he apparently threw two ceramic tiles, a water dispenser and a 5kg dumbbell from high floors in the block.

Abdul Hamid is next scheduled to be mentioned in court on June 17.

Post by The Straits Times.

* Killer-litter teen gets probation, must be accompanied by adult at all times
By Elena Chong, Court Correspondent, The Straits Times, 10 Mar 2015

A TEEN with a history of killer- litter offences was ordered to undergo 36 months' probation yesterday.

Abdul Hamid Rahmat, 16, had catapulted a bicycle wheel from a high floor of a Housing Board block, injuring a woman severely. She died three weeks later. He committed the offence last May while out on police bail for throwing bricks, tiles and other heavy objects from the same block in Eunos Crescent where he lives.

District Judge Lim Keng Yeow called his acts reprehensible and inexcusable, which clearly called for censure from society and severe condemnation from the courts.

Under the probation order, the teen has to be accompanied by an adult at all times outside the Singapore Boys' Hostel, where he is to stay for 12 months, as well as any time he is outside his home, until his risk of re-offending is assessed to have been lowered. His next progress review is on May 11.

He also has to observe a curfew, undergo psychiatric and psychological treatment and counselling, and perform 200 hours of community service.

His mother and stepfather were bonded for $8,000 to ensure his good behaviour. Abdul Hamid is said to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and attends a special needs school in Katong.

The court heard that Madam Mahani Abdullah, 67, was walking past the block on May 16 last year when a bicycle wheel landed on her head from the 14th floor, causing her to black out. Complications set in from her head and spinal cord injuries that eventually resulted in her death on June 6.

Abdul Hamid had also endangered the life of a 25-year-old Myanmar national, whose hand was injured by a brick he hurled from the 12th floor on Dec 13, 2013.

He threw two ceramic tiles, a water dispenser and a 5kg dumbbell from various floors on Aug 24 the same year.

Judge Lim denounced his "troubling series of repeated offences", which he said were not merely impulsive or reactive responses on the spur of the moment. Neither did they arise from unthinking carelessness or as a result of his judgment being clouded. "He acted with clarity of mind. There was a disturbingly high level of premeditation and planning prior to the offences, and a worrying measure of deviousness in how he sought to conceal his acts and to avoid being caught after carrying out the offences," he said.

The rehabilitative regime and environment, he said, must be one that best addresses the underlying causes of his offending and meets the unique needs in this case, while not compromising public safety.

* Teen pleads guilty in bike wheel killer-litter case
By Elena Chong Court Correspondent, The Straits Times, 2 Dec 2014

A TEEN pleaded guilty yesterday to causing a bicycle wheel to be catapulted from a high floor of a Housing Board block, leading to a passer-by being seriously injured.

Abdul Hamid Rahmat, 16, was on police bail for four killer-litter offences when he grievously hurt Madam Mahani Abdullah, 67, by committing the life-endangering rash act on the 14th floor of Block 1, Eunos Crescent, on May 16.

The mother of two suffered serious injuries to her head and spinal cord. She died three weeks later from sepsis due to urinary tract infection.

The teen, represented by Mr Suresh Damodara, also admitted to causing grievous hurt to Myanmar national Kyi Phyu Phyo Wai, 25, whose right finger was broken from a brick the teen hurled from the 12th floor last Dec 13, and to committing a rash act on Aug 24 last year.

A Community Court heard that Abdul Hamid picked up a discarded bicycle wheel at the block's rubbish collection centre on May 16 this year. Then, suddenly feeling angry with his parents for "not being able to understand (him)", he decided to throw the wheel from the block to vent his anger.

He planned how to do it. He took a lift to the 14th floor and pulled out one of its cables to jam its doors open and keep the lift at that floor. He placed the wheel at the parapet and let the centre rest on a bent paper name card, causing it to tilt downwards and away from the block.

The card was to act as a spring to catapult the wheel when the wind blew through it. Later, he saw the card spring out before the wheel catapulted from the 14th floor.

In the August incident, he threw two tiles over the parapet on the 11th floor. He then pushed down a 5kg dumb-bell over the parapet on the 13th floor and a water dispenser from the 12th floor.

Citing aggravating factors, Deputy Public Prosecutor Shen Wanqin said the teen displayed a high level of pre-meditation and planning, and showed a complete disregard for the risks involved.

"His conduct had in fact endangered the lives of people and had in fact caused serious injuries to innocent victims," she added.

District Judge Lim Keng Yeow called for pre-sentence and reformative training reports on Dec 23.

Teenager charged with throwing bicycle tyre from flat
By Yeo Sam Jo, The Sunday Times, 18 May 2014

A 16-year-old boy was charged in court yesterday after an elderly woman was hit by a bicycle tyre which had apparently been thrown from a block of flats.

Madam Mahani Abdullah, 67, was hospitalised after suffering head injuries in Friday's incident.

She had been walking below Block 1 Eunos Crescent on her way to play chess at a nearby senior citizens centre when the tyre landed on her head, Shin Min Daily News reported.

A witness told the Chinese evening paper that Madam Mahani fell to the ground and though she did not seem to bleed, she appeared to be in a lot of pain.

She was taken while still conscious to Changi General Hospital where she was said to have been in critical condition.

Police were alerted to the incident at 3.14pm and arrested a 16-year-old boy in relation to the case.

He was charged in court yesterday with committing a rash act.

The Sunday Times understands that the same teenager was arrested last December after a brick which was hurled from his flat at the same block injured a passer-by. Police said there had been four reports of "killer litter" incidents at the block between June 22 and Dec 13 last year. Items thrown included bricks, a dumb bell and water dispenser.

Last month, a 13-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly throwing two bricks from the 12th floor of a Housing Board block in Jalan Bukit Merah in March. No one was injured.

Elderly woman in killer litter case 'in stable condition'
By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, 22 May 2014

THE elderly woman who was hit by a bicycle tyre thrown from a block of flats last Friday is in stable condition and out of intensive care, her son said yesterday.

Madam Mahani Abdullah, 67, had undergone spinal cord surgery at the Singapore General Hospital on Monday to regain the use of her limbs. She had regained consciousness by Tuesday.

"Doctors said the surgery went okay, and we're hoping that there won't be any complications," said Mr Jusman Abdul Aziz, 35, an executive at a freight forwarding company. "It's still early, but right now they said (her condition) has stabilised."

He added that his mother had been on a diet of soft food since Tuesday and was no longer on a drip, but was still unable to move her arms and legs because of her head and spinal injuries.

"She was very fit for her age, and kept herself healthy by doing qigong every morning and going for brisk walks with others from the Residents' Committee (RC)," said Mr Jusman. "I hope she regains some of her mobility, as she's so used to moving around and being independent."

Madam Mahani was walking below Block 1, Eunos Crescent last Friday at about 3pm when the bicycle tyre landed on her head, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Mr Jusman said he and his brother have been taking turns keeping vigil by her side, but things have been difficult as they have a bedridden sister who also needs looking after. "For the time being, my aunties are helping me to take care of my mum and also my sister, but they are also at an age where they are not that strong any more," he said.

The 16-year-old boy who allegedly threw the bicycle tyre was charged in court with committing a rash act in connection with the incident, the latest in a recent series of "killer litter" cases.

He is believed to be the same teenager who was arrested last December after a brick hurled from his flat at the same block injured a passer-by.

Police received reports of four "killer litter" cases at the Eunos Crescent address between June 22 and Dec 13 last year. Items thrown included bricks, a dumb-bell and a water dispenser.

Elderly woman in killer litter case 'needs surgery'
By Audrey Tan, The Straits Times, 19 May 2014

THE elderly woman hit on the head by a bicycle wheel thrown from a block of flats will be operated on today, said her son.

"The doctors told us that if she doesn't go for surgery, she might not be able to move again, or that she will take a very long time to recover," Mr Jusman Abdul Aziz, 35, an executive at a freight forwarding company, told The Straits Times.

Doctors said his mother, Madam Mahani Abdullah, 67, needed surgery to help her regain the use of her limbs, he added.

Yesterday, a sedated Madam Mahani drifted in and out of consciousness in a high-dependency ward at the Singapore General Hospital, said Mr Jusman.

He said: "There might be complications in surgery because of her age, but it is, at least, a chance for her to move again."

Madam Mahani was walking below Block 1, Eunos Crescent last Friday at about 3pm when the bicycle wheel landed on her head, Shin Min Daily News reported.

A witness told the Chinese evening paper that she fell to the ground and appeared to be in a lot of pain though it did not look like she was bleeding.

On Saturday, a 16-year-old boy was charged in court with committing a rash act in relation to the incident, the latest in a recent series of "killer litter" cases.

He is believed to be the same teenager who was arrested last December after a brick hurled from his flat at the same block injured a passer-by.

The police have received reports of four "killer litter" cases at the Eunos Crescent address between June 22 and Dec 13 last year. Items thrown included bricks, a dumbbell and water dispenser.

Other cases of deadly litter include one in which a 13-year-old boy was arrested last month for allegedly throwing two bricks from the 12th floor of a Housing Board block in Jalan Bukit Merah in March.

In January, two men, believed to be in their early 20s, were arrested for allegedly throwing a sofa from a fourth-floor flat in Jurong West.