Murder suspect arrested

Oct 15, 2010

WOODLANDS DRIVE MURDER

Murder suspect arrested

By Teh Joo Lin

Police have caught a 20-year-old suspect in connection with the murder of a woman in Woodlands Drive on Sept 22. -- PHOTOS: WANBAO, ZAOBAO

WITHIN three weeks, police have caught a 20-year-old suspect in connection with the murder of a woman in Woodlands Drive on Sept 22, following the release of a revised photofit of the suspect earlier this week. Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department's special section tracked down the male suspect and arrested him on Thursday. Police said on Friday that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is also believed to be involved in the attack of a woman jogger at Khatib Bongsu Park Connector on Feb 2.

The suspect will be charged in court on Saturday for murder, and faces the death penalty if he is convicted. CID Director, Senior Assistant Commissioner Ng Boon Gay commended the officers who worked round-the-clock to solve the case. In the Woodlands case, the body of Ms Hoe Hong Lin, 32, a clerk, was found with at least one stab wound, next to a basketball court beside Block 895C, Woodlands Drive 50, after celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with her husband, son and nephew in a playground about 200m away from their block.

She was believed to have been attacked on her way back after walking her nephew to her sister's flat at nearby Woodlands Drive 14. In the other case, a health-care worker was attacked on Feb 2 at the Khatib Bongsu park connector in Yishun Avenue 6. During the struggle, she grabbed the knife, causing it to break at the handle. The blade was later recovered at the scene.

The victim suffered multiple wounds on her face and upper body, and a C-shaped open wound on her right cheek She was slashed just four days after another woman was knifed nearby, also in Yishun. Following the park attack, police released a photofit put together by the 23-year-old jogger, which showed a man with longer hair and smaller eyes. In a new clearer photo released on Tuesday, the suspect has a short crop and strong features.

NSF arrested over murder


Oct 16, 2010

WOODLANDS DRIVE MURDER
NSF arrested over murder

By Mavis Toh

PHOTOS: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

A FULL-TIME national serviceman has been arrested in connection to a Woodlands murder that took place three weeks ago. The 20-year-old is also believed to be involved in the slashing of a female jogger in February. Police are also investigating to find out if he is involved in two other stabbing cases that took place in the northern part of Singapore between January and May.

Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department's special section tracked down the suspect and he was handed over to the police by the Singapore Armed Forces military command on Thursday evening. The suspect will be charged in court on Saturday for murder, and faces the death penalty if convicted.

In the Woodlands case, the body of Ms Hoe Hong Lin, 32, a clerk, was found with at least one stab wound, next to a basketball court beside Block 895C, Woodlands Drive 50, after celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with her husband, son and nephew in a playground about 200m away from their block.

She was believed to have been attacked on her way back after walking her nephew to her sister's flat at nearby Woodlands Drive 14. In the other case, a health-care worker was attacked on Feb 2 at the Khatib Bongsu park connector in Yishun Avenue 6.

During the struggle, she grabbed the knife, causing it to break at the handle. The blade was later recovered at the scene. The victim suffered multiple wounds on her face and upper body, and a C-shaped open wound on her right cheek She was slashed just four days after another woman was knifed nearby, also in Yishun.

NSF charged with murder


Oct 16, 2010
NSF charged with murder

By Lester Kok

Soh Wee Kian (centre in white), 20, being brought to the scene of the crime at a Woodlands basketball court. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

A 20-YEAR-OLD full-time national serviceman was charged on Saturday morning with the murder of a mother of two in Woodlands last month. Soh Wee Kian showed little emotion in court and kept his eyes on the ground when the charge for the Sept 22 killing of Madam Hoe Hong Lin, 32, was read out to him. Madam Hoe, a clerk and permanent resident here, had been celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with her family near Block 898B, Woodlands Drive 50 in Woodlands where they lived.

She was set upon at the basketball court near Block 895C, some time after 10.35pm. She was on her way back to meet her family at a playground after dropping off her 11-year-old nephew at her sister's nearby flat. Soh was arrested last Friday after he was tracked down by the police. Forensics also played a part, alongside the patient sifting of reams of evidence and the interviewing of 10 witnesses to the crime. Among the evidence recovered was a 12cm blade, which broke off from the handle when the Madam Hoe struggled with her attacker.

Read the full story in this week's edition of The Sunday Times.

NSF remanded for 1 more week


Oct 22, 2010

WOODLANDS DRIVE MURDER
NSF remanded for 1 more week

By Elena Chong

THE full-time national serviceman accused of murdering a 32-year-old woman last month was remanded for another week for investigation. Soh Wee Kian, 20, is accused of murdering clerk Hoe Hong Lin at Mandai Tekong Park at Woodlands Drive 50 on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival on Sept 22.

The prosecution applied for another week's custody with permission to take him out for investigation. Soh, who was represented by Mr Josephus Tan, was clad in a red polo shirt and had his hands cuffed in front when he appeared in the dock.

If convicted of murder, he faces the mandatory death penalty. The case will come up for mention next Friday. His mother and stepfather were among about 10 people who attended the brief mention of the case in court on Friday.

NSF faces 3 more charges


Oct 29, 2010
NSF faces 3 more charges

By Elena Chong

Soh Wee Kian was charged two weeks ago with the murder of clerk Hoe Hong Lin at Mandai Tekong Park in Woodlands during the Mid-Autumn Festival on Sept 22. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

THE Woodlands murder accused was charged with three counts of attempted murder on Friday. Full-time national serviceman Soh Wee Kian, 20, was charged two weeks ago with the murder of clerk Hoe Hong Lin, 32, at Mandai Tekong Park in Woodlands during the Mid-Autumn Festival on Sept 22.

The first fresh charge accuses him of trying to murder Ms Ooi Li Li, 31, by using a knife to inflict injuries on her at the void deck of Block 171 Yishun Avenue 7 on the evening of Jan 29.

Four days later, he allegedly tried to kill Ms Lam Hui Lin, 23, along Khatib Bongsu Park Connector at Yishun Avenue 6 between 11am and 11.21am. He is also accused of attempting to kill Ms How Poh Ling, 25, at the void deck of Block 588B Montreal Drive in Sembawang on the morning of May 26.

Soh was remanded for psychiatric assessment until Nov 19. His lawyer Josephus Tan had a brief word with him in court. Soh's biological father was among six people who came for the case. If convicted of attempted murder, Soh can be jailed for up to life and liable to caning.