Religious teacher gets 3 weeks' jail for child abuse

Muhammad Abdul Gani, 27, pleaded guilty to the charges on Sep 10. Another six similar charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

The court heard that on separate occasions in 2013, Muhammad had grabbed two children by their heads and lifted them off the ground. The children were aged seven and four at the time.

Muhammad had also pushed a 10-year-old girl in 2013, causing her to knock her head against a cupboard. Sometime in 2012, he kicked a chair which another 10-year-old girl was standing on, causing her to fall off.
Muhammad is also accused of slapping and caning other children, as well as locking up a four-year-old boy in a cupboard.

The incidents came to light when the Ministry of Social and Family Development lodged a police report in February 2014, after receiving information that some of the children at the home “may have been inappropriately punished physically by some staff”.

In sentencing Muhammad, District Judge Christopher Goh said that as a teacher, Muhammad's actions were "a gross breach of trust and authority" affecting vulnerable children.

However, the judge said that he found "no malice on the part of the accused" and that Muhammad had simply overreacted to the children not following his instructions.
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"It's not easy for staff in such homes. I do not envy them", the judge said.