Volunteer instructor jailed over death of boy while on rope course

Facilitator, who failed to do physical check on boy’s harness, receives six-month term

A volunteer outdoor activities facilitator was sentenced to six months in jail over the death of a 15-yearold Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student following an incident at a high-element course in 2021.

On Jan 15, Muhammad Nurul Hakim Mohamed Din, 23, pleaded guilty to one charge of causing grievous hurt to Jethro Puah Xin Yang by committing a rash act which endangers human life.

He had failed to do a physical check on Jethro's harness, resulting in the boy's leg loops getting unbuckled after he fell from the highelement course.

Hakim was previously charged with causing death by a rash act not amounting to homicide, but his charge was amended. It was not stated in court why this was so.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Chong said that on Feb 3, 2021, Jethro and his schoolmates were at the Safra Adventure Sports Centre in Yishun to take part in outdoor activities organised by the school to promote team building.

Hakim, who was an unpaid volunteer for outdoor adventure training company Camelot, conducted a safety briefing for Jethro and his schoolmates. The briefing included instructions on how to wear the helmet and harness, and how the participants should react if they fall off the high-element course.

Hakim also held the role of dispatcher that day, for the first time.

As the dispatcher, he was required to conduct final checks on the students to ensure their helmets and harnesses were properly buckled and adjusted before they took part in the high-element course.