3 years in prison for 11th grade male student who electrocuted gas station employee

(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of November 27, the People's Court of Que Phong district held a criminal trial against Ngan Van Tam, born in 2000 in Hien village, Chau Thon commune (Que Phong) for the crime of "robbery".

According to the indictment, because Ngan Van Tam came to buy gasoline many times at Khanh Huong gas station in Moi hamlet, Chau Thon commune (Que Phong), and saw that Mr. Bui Van Ngoc, a gas station employee, was using an iPhone brand mobile phone, he had the mentality of appropriating Mr. Ngoc's phone.

Khanh Huong gas station - where the electric shock incident occurred on a gas station employee. Photo: Hung Cuong

On the afternoon of April 4, 2017, Ngan Van Tam took from his house a 8.6 meter long piece of electric wire, one end of which was connected to a plug, and went to the wood yard near Khanh Huong Gas Station to hide it there with the intention of using it as a tool to connect to the power source, shock Mr. Ngoc in order to steal his property. After hiding the electric wire, Tam went home.

At about 11pm the same day, Ngan Van Tam took an iron bar and rode his bicycle to Khanh Huong gas station. At this time, seeing that it was early, afraid that Mr. Ngoc had not slept yet, Tam sat outside on the street and waited for about an hour, then went around to the back of Mr. Ngoc's bedroom. Discovering that the door was locked from the inside, Tam used an iron bar to pry the door open, but due to the loud noise, Tam switched to using a wooden stick to insert into the gap to open the latch from the inside and break into Mr. Ngoc's bedroom.

Photo of suspect Ngan Van Tam in the case file. Photo: Hung Cuong

When entering the room, due to the light from the room next door, Tam saw Ngoc sleeping on the bed and discovered that Ngoc was charging his iPhone next to him. Afraid that if he took the phone at that time, it would make a noise and Ngoc would find out, Tam went out, took the previously hidden wire into the room and used scissors on the table to cut off the plastic cover at the end of the wire.

Tam plugged the plug into the 220V outlet in the room and then pulled the remaining wire to where Ngoc was sleeping. Tam used his left hand to lift the curtain and used his right hand to hold the wire, touching the copper core to Ngoc's face.

Due to the 220V power source suddenly entering his body, Mr. Ngoc was shocked. Thinking that Mr. Ngoc had fainted, Tam pulled the electric wire out of Mr. Ngoc's body. A moment later, seeing Mr. Ngoc open his eyes, move his right arm and intend to sit up, Tam continued to touch the copper core of the electric wire to Mr. Ngoc's face for the second time. At this time, Mr. Ngoc got up. Seeing this, Tam threw the electric wire away and ran away from the scene. After the incident, Mr. Ngoc filed a report with the authorities.

At the end of the trial, the panel sentenced Ngan Van Tam to 3 years in prison. The two parties agreed on civil compensation and Ngan Van Tam's family compensated Mr. Ngoc 3,000,000 VND along with an apology to Mr. Ngoc./.

Hung Cuong