SINGAPORE — What began as an ordinary afternoon at a neighbourhood wet market turned violent when a fishmonger repeatedly punched a 52-year-old man in the face, leaving him with a fracture around his eye and two weeks of hospitalisation leave.
Malaysian national Mok Siaw Yong, 35, was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail on Aug. 20 after pleading guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt.
He was also ordered to pay S$872.65 in compensation, according to court documents reported by Mothership.
The encounter at Limbang Shopping Centre
The assault took place at around 1:17pm on Jan. 17, 2025, at the wet market inside Limbang Shopping Centre in Choa Chu Kang.
Mok was working as a fishmonger and packing fish at his stall when the 52-year-old Singaporean victim approached and began speaking to some of Mok’s co-workers.
Court documents stated that the victim had been diagnosed with schizophrenia by the Institute of Mental Health.
Mok reportedly became irritated because he believed the man was being a nuisance and getting in the way while he was working.
He told the victim to leave.
But when the man remained beside the stall, the situation escalated dramatically.
At least six punches to the eye
According to the prosecution’s account, Mok suddenly punched the victim in the face while the man was still speaking to other workers.
The victim tried to defend himself but was unable to stop the attack.
Mok punched him at least six times in the left eye and delivered another blow to his head while pulling him backwards.
The victim did not strike back.
Instead, he wrapped his arms around Mok in an attempt to restrain him.
Other vendors eventually stepped in and stopped the assault.
The incident was also captured on surveillance footage.
His wife found him badly bruised
Several hours later, the victim’s wife went to the wet market looking for him.
When she found her husband, the left side of his face was covered in bruises.
He was reportedly unable to clearly remember what had happened.
His wife filed a police report later that night.
A medical examination the following day found that the man had suffered a fracture around his left eye.
He received 14 days of hospitalisation leave, covering Jan. 18 to Jan. 31, 2025.
His out-of-pocket medical expenses amounted to at least S$372.65.
Why prosecutors considered the assault serious
Mok was eventually arrested on June 24, 2026, more than a year after the attack, and charged five days later.
Prosecutors sought between 12 and 14 weeks’ imprisonment.
They highlighted the fact that the punches were directed at the victim’s eye, face and head — areas of the body where an assault can potentially cause severe or lasting injury.
The prosecution specifically noted that an orbital fracture carries a risk of damage to eyesight.
It also argued that the attack was unprovoked and that the victim had not retaliated.
The S$872.65 compensation order
One detail requires careful distinction.
Mothership reported that the victim incurred at least S$372.65 in out-of-pocket medical costs, and that prosecutors initially asked for compensation of that amount.
The final compensation order, however, was reported as S$872.65.
The published report does not explain the additional S$500 component, so it would be inaccurate to state what that amount represented without further court documentation.
Assault happened at a major Choa Chu Kang neighbourhood centre
Limbang Shopping Centre is an HDB neighbourhood shopping centre located along Choa Chu Kang Street 51, between Yew Tee and Choa Chu Kang MRT stations. HDB lists the development across Blocks 532 to 534.
The centre underwent a major rejuvenation and officially reopened in February 2024.
Following the upgrade, the number of retail units — including those in the wet market — increased from 30 to 43, while the number of food-and-beverage units more than doubled from six to 15, according to reporting by The Straits Times.
That makes the setting of the assault particularly striking: the violence unfolded not in an isolated location, but inside a busy heartland shopping and wet-market complex serving surrounding Choa Chu Kang residents.
What is the punishment for voluntarily causing hurt in Singapore?
Mok pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing hurt.
For the offence in this case, Mothership reported that he could have faced up to five years in jail, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.
The court ultimately imposed a 12-week jail term together with the compensation order.
The case underscores how quickly an everyday disagreement can become a serious criminal matter when repeated blows are directed at vulnerable areas such as the face, head and eyes.
For the victim, the confrontation lasted only moments.
But it ended with a fractured eye socket, medical treatment and a criminal prosecution that would not conclude until more than a year later.
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