Khalid Abdullah, 34, was sentenced to 34 months’ jail and handed a S$3,000 fine on Tuesday (April 2) for using counterfeit currency, possessing counterfeit currency, and using abusive words on a public servant.
The charges stemmed from an incident at Woodlands Polyclinic where Khalid turned aggressive after a doctor refused to prescribe him four bottles of sedative cough syrup.
During the consultation at the polyclinic, Khalid demanded the cough syrup and became aggressive when his request was denied, according to the report.
WHAT HAPPENED :
The incident began when Khalid visited Woodlands Polyclinic in March 2022 and demanded to be prescribed four bottles of sedative cough syrup. When the doctor refused, Khalid turned aggressive and had to be escorted out of the clinic after using abusive language.
The deputy head doctor of the polyclinic, along with the clinic’s operations manager and security officer, arrived at the consultation room to explain to Khalid why they couldn’t prescribe the cough syrup he requested.
Despite their attempts to reason with him, Khalid adamantly refused to leave the room, resorting to abusive language directed at the deputy head doctor.
Despite multiple warnings, Khalid aggressively approached the doctor and threatened to stay put. “I am not going to leave, what are you going to do?” he said according to the report.
He even went as far as grabbing the doctor’s shirt while continuing his outburst.
Ultimately, Khalid was escorted out of the room by the doctor’s colleagues.
A few months later, in October 2022, Khalid used a counterfeit S$1,000 note to purchase cough mixture and sleeping pills from an online seller. The seller believed the note was genuine and gave Khalid S$600 in change.
Khalid was later arrested in November 2022 after trying to use six counterfeit S$1,000 notes to exchange for foreign currency at a DBS Bank branch in Woodlands.
Police searched his residence and seized 78 pieces of counterfeit currency amounting to S$18,495, which Khalid admitted to purchasing on e-commerce platform Shopee.
The prosecution sought a sentence of three to five years jail and a fine of S$3,000 to S$5,000 for the offences. Khalid’s lawyer argued for a lighter sentence, citing his client’s remorse and health issues.
The court considered Khalid’s persistent unruly behavior, including using criminal force against the doctor, and the seriousness of counterfeiting, which undermines the economy.
Khalid has been diagnosed with major depressive disorder, benzodiazepine use disorder, and zolpidem use disorder according to a report from the Institute of Mental Health. However, his lawyer stated that these diagnoses were not directly related to his offenses.
Benzodiazepines are medications used to treat anxiety, while zolpidem is used to treat insomnia.
Khalid could have faced up to 20 years in jail and a fine for using counterfeit currency as genuine. Possessing forged or counterfeit currency can result in up to 15 years in jail and a fine.Using abusive language towards a public servant can lead to a prison sentence of up to 12 months, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.
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