Borneo Bulletin, Bandar Seri Begawan, 11 March 1999

Road bully gets jail and cane for parang attack

A parang wielding road bully who brutally attacked a motorist and set fire to his car during a terrifying broad daylight attack in Bandar Seri Begawan went to jail for six years and was ordered 10 strokes of the rattan.

Judge Steven Chong in the Brunei High Court said the public should be protected from such lawlessness.

The offender is 29-year-old chicken seller Abdul Aziz bin Mohammad Saad from Kampong Bunut near the Brunei capital who the court heard, during a horrendous road rage incident also threatened to kill the motorist.

The nightmare for motorist Alexander Ferreras began as he was driving along Jalan Gadong at Kampong Jangsak at about 11 am on August 13 last year.

All of a sudden Aziz overtook him and stopped in front of Alexander's car. Alexander also stopped his car, Deputy Public Prosecutor Md Yusree told the court. Aziz went out of his car and approached Alexander carrying a baton and a small knife.

He then in a rage jumped on top of Alexander's car and smashed the front windscreen with his boots.

He then jumped down and instructed Alexander to get out of his car and when Alexander refused, Aziz smashed the windscreen on the driver's side with a baton and took the key from the ignition.

Alexander meanwhile managed to kick open the door, which caused Aziz to drop the knife, and as Alexander was stepping out of the car Aziz hit him with the baton.

The court heard that, however, Alexander cut his arm while he parried the blow. Aziz then kicked Alexander on the chest. At the time Aziz was also brandishing a parang.

But before Aziz could assault him further, Alexander managed run to a nearby shop. Aziz then took some matches and threw them on the front seat of the car, starting a fire. The fire then spread and caused damage to the whole car, DPP Yusree informed the court. Aziz in accusing Alexander for damaging his car while overtaking, told him that he had set fire to the car.

Aziz while still brandishing the parang said that he was going to kill him. Aziz eventually left the scene when the police arrived, the court heard.

The baton and the small knife were recovered but the parang was missing by the time Aziz was arrested. Two witnesses saw Aziz setting fire to the car and Aziz in his written statement also admitted it. Alexander also picked him up during a police identification parade, the court heard.

Aziz is already serving jail for theft, DPP Yusree said. He pleaded guilty and pleaded for leniency. He said he lost his temper.

Judge Chong said that he took a serious view of the matter, which involved violence destruction of property that happened on the public road.

The court must send a clear message that road rage would not be tolerated. The public must be protected from such lawlessness and therefore a deterrent sentence was necessary.

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