Mandatory treatment order for woman who placed beef at Indian neighbours' doorstep

SINGAPORE — A woman who left raw beef at her Indian neighbours' doorstep in Yishun was sentenced to a two-year mandatory treatment order (MTO) on Thursday (6 May).

This means that Farhana Mohamed Suwati, 31, will receive psychiatric treatment in lieu of a jail sentence. Her psychiatric condition was not revealed in court.

As part of her conditions for the MTO, Farhana was forbidden from consuming specified or controlled drugs by District Judge Eddy Tham.

She had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of committing mischief by removing five aluminium panels and three metal rods from a window of the same neighbours' unit, and one count of insulting behaviour by placing raw beef at their doorstep.

One charge of causing hurt to one of the neighbours by throwing the panels and rods into their living room was taken into consideration for her sentencing.

Disturbed by neighbours' 'noises'

At the time of the offences, Farhana lived in a ninth-floor unit of a HDB block along Yishun Street 51. Her next-door neighbours were a 48-year-old man and his 79-year-old mother, both Indians.

On 20 May last year, the older neighbour was sitting in her living room watching television with the main door to her unit open and the gate locked. Farhana approached her unit and placed raw beef at the doorstep.

Farhana then shouted at the older woman and left. The woman, who is a Sikh, was left distressed and angered as she did not eat or touch beef.

Farhana admitted to the act as she believed her male neighbour had molested her in early 2019 and thought that the man was home while his mother was watching television.

On 10 September last year, the two neighbours were in their living room when Farhana again approached the unit. This time, she hurled vulgarities in English and Malay at the two victims.

Farhana also removed five aluminium window panels and three horizontal metal rods from the victims’ living room window and threw them inside the unit.

She later admitted to doing so as she was "easily annoyed by noises made by people" and would "explode" in anger, said the prosecution. Earlier that day, she had heard a cough from the unit and felt disturbed.

After hearing another sound from her neighbours while taking out the trash, she lost her patience.

The neighbours lodged a police report that day.

In the course of dismantling the window, Farhana had caused the metal rods to be damaged. The HDB paid $82.73 for the repair of the window.

For committing mischief, Farhana faced up to two years' jail, a fine, or both. For using insulting behaviour, she could have been jailed up to six months, fined up to $5,000, or both.

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