Former MINDS Employee Jailed 3 Weeks for Punching Mentally Disabled Man’s Face Twice

Here’s a simple tip: if your job involves taking care of vulnerable people, maybe actually take care of them instead of assaulting them.

Yeah, though it sounds like a no-brainer, someone really did just that.

MINDS Employee Attacked Agitated Client at Day Activity Centre

Mohammad Zulkifli Muhaini, 37, was charged in court for attacking a mentally disabled adult under his care during his employment at the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) last September.

The incident occurred on 9 September last year at MINDS’ Jurong Training Development Centre, where Louis Seow, 31, was a client.

After refusing to perform classroom tasks, Seow waited for Zulkifli outside a “calming room”, but grew agitated when Zulkifli appeared.

He made aggressive gestures about a fellow carer and pushed Zulkifli on his chest, forcing the MINDS employee to restrain him. 

Zulkifli then pushed Seow into the wall, dragged him towards the calming room, and punched him in the face when he attempted to resist. He also grabbed Seow’s right arm and gave him another punch as he fell and couldn’t get up.

Hey, bro, that’s too much.

Seow’s family members noticed that both of his cheeks were swollen when he returned. They took him to a doctor, who assessed that the injuries were superficial and needed no medication.

They then reported the incident to MINDS, where a manager informed the police after an internal investigation. CCTV footage of the incident was supplied by the organisation and played in court.

In a statement to TODAYonline, MINDS explained that Seow has since received continuous support and follow-up sessions to ascertain and maintain his well-being.

“All direct support staff have a duty of care to the clients entrusted to them. MINDS does not tolerate aggressive conduct by its staff towards vulnerable persons,” said a spokesperson from MINDS.

Zulkifli was dismissed by MINDS following the incident, and he has remained unemployed.

He pled guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt on Tuesday (4 May), the penalties for which could be aggravated because his victim had been a legally designated vulnerable person.

He has also compensated Seow $10 for his medical bills surrounding the injury.

In court, Zulkifli’s lawyer argued that he “did not intend to assault [Seow]” and “is really sorry for what he has done”, noting that “he has lost everything, perhaps for a minute of transgression with the law”. 

However, District Judge Teoh Ai Lin reiterated that “parents entrust their loved ones with special needs to MINDS, believing it to be a safe environment”. She sentenced him to three weeks in prison.

Let’s hope Zulkifli finds another job soon when he’s released. And not assault anyone else while he’s at it.

Feature Image: Dan Henson / Shutterstock.com