5 Officers Charged For SCDF NSF’s Death & 8 Other Officers Referred to SCDF

It’s been two months but the death of SCDF NSF, Corporal (CPL) Kok Yuen Chin, still resonates with us.

After all, he died as part of a ragging initiation just before he was due to escape from the hell known as NS.

Okay, not that dramatic.

But his life was put on hold for two years and he was about to press Play in the game of life once again. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the chance to do that.

A short flashback for some context:

On 13 May, Cpl Kok was pushed into a pump well at Tuas View fire station as part of the activities to celebrate his ORD.

At the time of the incident, it was understood that the water level was 1 metre below the opening.

Cpl Kok went into the well and did not surface.

Several SCDF personnel jumped in but could not find his body. It was only after the pump well was drained of water that they finally pull him out of the pump well.

A paramedic on the scene attempted to perform CPR and used an automated external defibrillator on him.

He was later brought to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Cpl Kok knew beforehand that he would be forced to go into the pump well.

And he was terrified because he couldn’t swim.

But he went back to the fire station anyway with snacks to treat his colleagues. Despite his family and girlfriend telling him otherwise.

Five Personnel Charged For Cpl Kok’s Death

On 25 July 2018, it was reported that 5 SCDF personnel will be charged for Cpl Kok’s death.

Staff Sergeant Nur Fatwa was charged with committing a rash act causing death and abetting the obstruction of the course of justice by instigation.

He was the one to allegedly push Cpl Kok into the pump well.

Staff Sergeant Adighazali was charged with intentionally obstructing the course of justice. He deleted a video recording of the incident he had on his phone.

First Warrant Officer Mohamed Farid is charged with abetting a rash act causing death. He was allegedly the one who encouraged SSG Nur Fatwa to put Cpl Kok into the pump well.

First Senior Warrant Officer Nazhan is charged with abetting a rash act causing grievous hurt by illegal omission. He had allegedly failed to stop people from pressuring Cpl Kok into jumping into the well.

And Lieutenant Kenneth Chong Chee Boon is charged with abetting a rash act causing grievous hurt by illegal omission. He had allegedly failed to stop people from pressuring Cpl Kok into jumping into the well.

If convicted of rash act causing death, they can be jailed up to 5 years, fined, or both.

For rash act causing grevious hurt, they can be jailed up to 4 years, fined, or both.

And if found guilty of obstructing justice, they can be jailed up to 7 years and fined.

Eight Other Officers Refer To SCDF For Punishment

Other than the 5 SCDF personnel, it was reported that eight other officers who were present at the scene were referred to SCDF for investigation.

SCDF confirms that six of them are regulars while the remaining two are NSFs.

Should they be found guilty, the regulars will place public service disciplinary actions, which may involve getting fired or a demotion in rank.

The NSFs might be sent to the detention barracks or demoted in rank under the Civil Service Act.

SCDF, meanwhile, has placed in more measures against such ragging activities.

Other than a whistleblowing system in place, they’ve also placed metal grates at the openings of pump wells and put in more CCTVs around SCDF areas.