Singapore Police Officer Jailed for Recklessly Discharging Firearm in Armoury
A former auxiliary police officer has been sentenced to two months in jail after discharging a round from his service revolver into a countertop at a Singapore Air Freight Terminal building. The incident, which occurred on November 22, 2023, raised serious questions about firearm safety protocols and judgment within the security forces.
Incident Details and Plea
Muhammad Mukhlis Kamis, 39, pleaded guilty on Monday, July 7, to one count of a rash act endangering the personal safety of his subordinate. The court heard that Mukhlis, a Sergeant with the Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) Security Services, discharged a .38 calibre Taurus Revolver at the SATS Auxiliary Police Armoury at the Singapore Air Freight Terminal Core C Building.
Mukhlis had been employed by SATS for 11 years, serving as an armourer for the five years leading up to the incident. He had recently been promoted to overall in-charge of the armoury, according to his defense lawyer.
Sequence of Events
The incident unfolded at approximately 7:40 am when Corporal Zulkarnaen Ramli, 27, accompanied by a safety officer, went to the armoury to collect his equipment and firearms before his shift. Mukhlis was reportedly listening to music on his phone at the time. He issued nine rounds of .38mm ammunition along with a Taurus revolver to Corporal Ramli.
However, Corporal Ramli noticed a missing bullet and pointed this out to Mukhlis. In a startling sequence of events, Mukhlis retrieved a single bullet from a drawer. As described by the prosecutor, “He threw this .38mm round up in the air and caught it with his left hand.” He then loaded the bullet into the revolver, spun the cylinder, and closed it, holding the weapon pointed downwards towards the countertop.
Corporal Ramli, understandably alarmed by Mukhlis’s actions, reportedly stepped back in fear. Mukhlis then pulled the trigger, discharging a round that struck the countertop. The entire event transpired in approximately five seconds.
Immediate Aftermath and Investigation
Following the discharge, Mukhlis immediately informed his supervisors of what had occurred. A subsequent search confirmed the presence of the bullet slug embedded in the countertop. Fortunately, no one was injured, and no damage repair costs were incurred.
The SATS control room promptly alerted the police, leading to Mukhlis’s arrest and the seizure of the revolver and ammunition. He was subsequently terminated from his position at SATS, according to his legal counsel, Mr. Azri Imran Tan from IRB Law.
Defense Argument and Sentencing
During the sentencing hearing, Mr. Tan emphasized Mukhlis’s previously unblemished record, noting over five years of incident-free service as an armourer and commendations for his work. He stated, “To this day, our client cannot explain what drove him to decide to – foolishly – load the revolver.” He further argued that Mukhlis immediately cooperated with the investigation and voluntarily disclosed the incident.
However, the prosecutor countered that Mukhlis, as a certified armourer, was acutely aware of the potential consequences of loading a live round. The prosecutor also highlighted what they described as “an element of playfulness” in Mukhlis’s actions, specifically referencing the act of throwing the bullet into the air and catching it.
The court ultimately sentenced Mukhlis to two months’ imprisonment, despite a request from the defense for a sentence of one to two months and a request from the prosecution for three to four months. Mukhlis could have faced a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment and a fine of up to S$2,500.
