The killing of Nasiari Sunee occurred on 18 August 2019, as a result of a racially motivated attack by Andrew Gosling, an Australian, at a condominium in Singapore.[1] The racist attack drew national attention due to the rarity of racially motivated violence in contemporary Singapore, especially when resulting in death.[2]
| Date | 18 August 2019 |
|---|---|
| Time | 8.30 p.m. (Singapore Standard Time) |
| Location | Singapore |
| Type | Murder |
| Motive | Hate crime and Islamophobia |
| Deaths | Nasiari Sunee |
| Convicted | Andrew Gosling |
| Charges | Causing death and grievous hurt by a rash act |
| Verdict | Guilty of causing death and grievous hurt by a rash act |
| Sentence | Five years and six months imprisonment |
Background
Nasiari Sunee, 73, was a local Singaporean of Malay ethnicity. He had worked as a delivery driver. He was at the Spottiswoode 18 condominium the evening on 18 August for a housewarming party with his family.[3]
Incident
On the evening of 18 August 2019, the family's housewarming party was located at the patio near the swimming pool of the condominium. During the party, Nasiari's daughter had suddenly heard two loud "thuds", before realising that her father was on the ground and bleeding from his head. Subsequently, the family came cross a glass wine bottle in close proximity of her father.[3] Nasiari's wife had also suffered from minor injures due to the ricochet of the glass wine bottle.[4]
Nasiari was taken to the nearby Singapore General Hospital, but died from his injuries later the morning after, which included a skull fracture. He was buried the day after on 20 August.[3]
Suspect
The suspect, Andrew Gosling, 47, is an Australian that was located at the same condominium. It is not known if he had stayed at the condominium or was there for a visit. He had arrived in Singapore two months prior to the killing in an attempt to look for a job in the country, while being contracted to the Australian multinational mining company Orica.[5]
Shortly after the incident, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) visited every unit at the condominium to look for the person responsible for the act.[6] The wine bottle was labeled "Polissena Il Boro 2016".[7] Gosling was arrested on August 28. He had hid for ten days after the incident, before eventually surrendering himself to the authorities.
He was charged on 30 August for causing death as well as grievous hurt by a rash act under Section 304A of the Penal Code, Chapter 224.[5] His charge was initially amended to a more serious charge of serious voluntarily causing grievous hurt with an instrument (instead of a rash act) on 21 September 2019, but was reduced to the original charge once again during his eventual sentencing.[8][9]
Motive
Gosling claimed that the reason he threw the glass wine bottle was that he was "angry and upset" over the 2002 Bali bombings in which many Australians were victims, and had wanted to "startle" the group after identifying them as Muslims as they were Malay.[10]
Gosling had also told the police that he had wanted to use a much stronger weapon such as a gun, but was thwarted by Singapore's strict gun laws that severely restricted him from procuring such weapons.[11] After throwing the glass wine bottle, Gosling hurled "crude, religiously charged vulgarities" about Muslims in the direction of the family.[10]
Verdict
On 25 February 2022, Gosling pleaded guilty to the charges at the State Courts, specifically for a rash act that killed 73-year-old Nasiari Sunee and causing grievous harm to his 69-year-old wife, Manisah Sitri.[12] On 8 April 2022, Gosling was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months imprisonment, which was backdated to the time of his arrest. Gosling was given four years' imprisonment under the first charge, which was causing death by a rash act, and 18 months for the second charge, which was causing grievous hurt by rash act.[13]
Principal District Judge Victor Yeo Khee Eng stated that "Gosling's acts were religiously aggravated and that the offender had demonstrated religious hostility towards Muslims". In addition, he added that "Such offences could seriously undermine Singapore's racial and religious harmony, and must not be tolerated and must be firmly dealt with."[13][14]
In the aftermath, Gosling's appeal against his sentence to the High Court was heard, and on 20 December 2022, his jail term was reduced by six months, and he was to serve an amended aggregate term of five years at Changi Prison with effect from the date of his remand (28 August 2019). With the usual one-third remission for good behaviour, Gosling was excepted to be released by the end of December 2022 upon the completion of his current sentence.[15]
See also
References
- ^ "Australian man jailed for killing Muslim grandfather with wine bottle". BBC News. BBC. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ^ Shaffiq, Alkhatib (25 February 2022). "Condo killer litter: Aussie admits throwing bottle that fatally struck grandfather of 9". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ a b c Wong, Cara (20 August 2019). "73-year-old delivery driver dies after being hit by falling glass bottle at condo party". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ Dasgupta, Sravasti (8 April 2022). "Australian gets 5.5 years jail for killing Singapore man by hurling wine bottle". The Independent. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ^ a b Saunokonoko, Mark (4 September 2019). "Aussie expat hid for 10 days after allegedly killing Singapore grandfather with wine bottle". www.9news.com.au. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ Wong, Cara (22 August 2019). "Wine bottle falling from height: Police look for culprit in condo after man's death". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ Shaffiq, Alkhatib (30 August 2019). "Bottle thrown from condo: Australian charged with causing death by rash act in fatal killer litter case". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ Shaffiq, Alkhatib (21 September 2019). "Killer litter case: Aussie gets more serious charge, allegedly threw wine bottle knowing it would hit and hurt someone". www.straitstimes.com. The Straits Times. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ Tang, Louisa (8 April 2022). "Spottiswoode condo killer litter: Man jailed 5.5 years after killing elderly man with bottle". TODAY. TODAY. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ a b "Singapore sentences Australian for hurling wine bottle, killing man". Reuters. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ "Australian man jailed for killing man after throwing wine bottle in Singapore". 7NEWS. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ^ Connors, Emma (25 February 2022). "Australian pleads guilty in Singapore to throwing a deadly wine bottle". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ a b Shaffiq, Alkhatib (8 April 2022). "Condo killer litter: Man who threw bottle that fatally struck grandfather jailed 5 years and 6 months". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ "Australian convicted in Singapore for killing man in act of 'religious hostility towards Muslims'". theguardian.com. The Guardian; Reuters. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ^ "Man who threw bottle that killed 73-year-old in act of 'religious hostility' has jail term cut by 6 months". CNA. 30 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.