Officer Jailed for Reckless Discharge of Firearm in Armoury

A Singaporean auxiliary police officer, Muhammad Mukhlis Kamis, was sentenced to two months in jail after an incident involving a firearm. The 39-year-old pleaded guilty to a rash act that endangered the safety of a subordinate.

The incident occurred at the Singapore Air Freight Terminal building. Mukhlis, a Sergeant with the Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) Security Services, was in charge of the armoury. He had been an armourer for five years.

On November 22, 2023, Corporal Zulkarnaen Ramli, accompanied by a safety officer, went to the armoury to collect his equipment. Mukhlis issued CPL Zulkarnaen a revolver with ammunition. When the corporal noticed a bullet was missing, Mukhlis retrieved one.

Mukhlis then loaded the bullet into the revolver and discharged a round into the countertop. The entire sequence, which occurred in front of CPL Zulkarnaen, lasted approximately five seconds. CPL Zulkarnaen stepped back in fear.

Following the incident, Mukhlis informed his supervisors. A search revealed the discharged round embedded in the countertop. No one was injured, and there were no repair costs. The police were notified, and Mukhlis was arrested. He was subsequently let go by SATS.

Mukhlis's defense lawyer stated that his client could not explain his actions. The lawyer emphasized Mukhlis's cooperation with the investigation and his immediate disclosure of the incident to his supervisors. The prosecutor noted Mukhlis's awareness of the serious consequences of his actions, given his role as a certified armourer.