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[Vultan]

Murderer escapes death after prosecution drops appeal

Published on Apr 10, 2015 6:08 AM

Chinese national Wang Wenfeng, who was convicted of murdering a taxi driver in 2011, fell to his knees, beaming, and pressed his palms together in gratitude to his lawyer. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

By Selina Lum

A MURDER convict spared the gallows in 2013 but living in suspense while the prosecution pressed for the death penalty, learnt yesterday that he would not be hanged after all, when the prosecution withdrew its appeal.

Chinese national Wang Wenfeng (photo), who was convicted of murdering a taxi driver in 2011, fell to his knees, beaming, and pressed his palms together in gratitude to his lawyer.

The prosecution said that it had carefully reviewed Wang's case in the light of a judgment on when the death penalty should be imposed, after the law was changed in 2013 to give judges the discretion to opt for a life sentence in certain cases instead.

In January, a five-judge Court of Appeal made a landmark ruling that the death penalty was warranted in cases where the offender had acted in a way that would "outrage the feelings of the community". Such a person, who "exhibits viciousness or a blatant disregard for human life", would outrage the feelings of the community, and hence deserves the death penalty, the court ruled, in setting out the test for determining when the death penalty was warranted.

In that case, the accused, Jabing Kho, had brutally bludgeoned a construction worker with a tree branch.

In Wang's case however, the level of brutality against his victim, 58-year-old Yuen Swee Hong, could not be assessed as the body was highly decomposed by the time it was found.

In September 2011, Wang, an odd-job worker, was given the death penalty - then mandatory for murder - for fatally stabbing Mr Yuen inside his taxi in the early hours of April 11, 2009.

Desperate for cash, Wang had intended to rob the cabby.

When the taxi arrived at his destination near Sembawang Park, Wang placed the knife over Mr Yuen's chest and demanded money. The cabby was stabbed in the ensuing struggle.

Thinking he was dead, Wang carried his body into the park.

Wang was arrested two days later, and four days afterwards, he led police to Mr Yuen's body, which was so badly decomposed that an autopsy could not ascertain the cause of death.

In November 2013, Wang was re-sentenced to life in prison and 24 strokes of the cane. The prosecution, which had pressed for a death sentence, filed an appeal.

Yesterday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Eugene Lee said that the brutality of Wang's attack could not be assessed. Comparing the two cases, the DPP noted that unlike Kho's premeditated attack, Wang had injured the cabby in the course of a struggle.

Wang's lawyer Wendell Wong said that his client would treasure the life he had been given.

[email protected]

 

[Vultan]

Canadian man accused of raping Singaporean girl after befriending her online

AsiaOne Monday, Apr 13, 2015

A Canadian man has been accused of repeatedly raping a Singaporean girl and taking explicit nude photos of her when she visited him in Canada.

James Brian Stephenson, 37, allegedly met the girl while playing an online video game in 2012. He told Canadian newspaper the Winnipeg Free Press that they got 'married' in the virtual game, and discovered they shared common interests. The pair continued chatting for several months.

The girl then flew to Winnipeg with her mother in April 2014 and met Stephenson after she turned 18. It was during this visit that they got engaged and did a "ceremonial celebration of marriage" which they captured on video.

The paper said it had viewed the video, which includes Stephenson on bended knee proposing to the teen, and her mother giving both of them her blessing while warning Stephenson to take good care of her daughter.

The teen and her mother then returned to Singapore after that visit for her to finish schooling, before flying back to Canada in July 2014, where they began living with Stephenson in his condominium.

Canadian police allege that is when he began to rape the girl. According to the paper's sources, the girl and her mother managed to enter Canada based on the fact that she was engaged to Stephenson. She has since denied having a relationship with him.

Stephenson has been granted bail, despite objections from the Crown.

[email protected]

 

[Vultan]

Train commuter fined for causing nuisance and entering driver's cabin

Published on Apr 15, 2015 1:55 PM
By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - A Canadian was fined $600 on Wednesday for pushing the emergency exit panel of an SMRT train driver's cabin and entering the cabin.

Peter Anthony Kampos, 36, admitted to the two offences under the Rapid Transit Systems Regulations on March 16.

The court heard that Kampos boarded the crowded west-bound SMRT train at about 6.30pm that day.

Wanting to get away from the crowd, he noticed the emergency exit panel of the driver's cabin at the rear end of the train.

He followed the instructions by the side of the cabin door and managed to enter the driver's cabin by pushing open the emergency exit panel and pulling the lever.

Once inside, he saw a second door and tried to open it but was unable to do so.

An unidentified passenger saw what he did and pressed the emergency communication button on the train. The train came to a stop at Tanjong Pagar MRT station, where Kampos was found crouching in a corner of the driver's cabin. Police came and arrested him.

Kampos, who had been remanded since late last month as he could not get a Singapore bailor, pleaded for a light fine.

He could have been fined up to $500 on each charge.

 

[Vultan]

Man jailed for stealing cash during flight

Published on Apr 16, 2015 5:20 PM
By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - A Chinese national was jailed for 12 months on Thursday for stealing $1,663 from a passenger on board a Tigerair flight last month.

Qi Shanying, 36, pleaded guilty to taking US$800 (S$1,109) and RMB2,500 (S$554) from Indian national Vellaichamy Saravanan, 36, on Tigerair flight from Shenzhen, China, to Singapore on March 11.

The victim had placed his black sling bag containing the cash in the overhead compartment above his seat.

Qi, a Henan native, was on the same flight, sitting two rows behind the victim.

 

[Vultan]

Malaysian jailed for smuggling seven puppies and animal cruelty

Published on Apr 16, 2015 4:08 PM

One puppy was found dead, while the other six were found sedated, but alive. Another puppy later died and four others had to be euthanised as they had contracted an infectious disease. -- PHOTO: AVA

The puppies were hidden below the front passenger seat. -- PHOTO: AVA

By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - An assistant manager of a pub was jailed for eight months on Thursday for smuggling seven puppies into Singapore and for animal cruelty.

Malaysian Mohamad Ashwin Nazri, 25, pleaded guilty to importing two Japanese Spitz, two golden retrievers and three poodles in a car from Malaysia without a licence on March 30.

He also admitted to failing to take reasonable steps to ensure that the puppies were not kept in confinement and transported in a manner or position that subjected them to unreasonable or unnecessary pain or suffering.

The puppies were sedated and stacked like "commodities" which restricted their movement, the court heard.

After he was detained at Woodlands checkpoint, one puppy died while the six gradually woke up from their sleep. They were likely sedated to prevent any movement and noise.

Another puppy later died and four others had to be euthanised as they had contracted an infectious disease.

Investigation showed that Ashwin met an unknown male Indian known as "Botak" in Johor on March 25. The man offered him RM600 ($222) to transport puppies from Malaysia to Singapore. He agreed.

On March 30, Ashwin waited in front of Johor Bahru's City Square Mall where the driver of a van approached him and said he needed to "put in the stuff".

Ashwin saw many puppies kept in partitioned cages inside the van. The man took out a small white metal cage containing different breeds of puppies and placed them in the front passenger seat of Ashwin's car.

The puppies were found by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers when they inspected his car at the checkpoint. No food and water were provided to the puppies.

Arguing for a stiff sentence, Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority prosecutor Yap Teck Chuan highlighted the serious consequences that illegal importation may bring about and the difficulty in detecting such cases.

He said the imposition of stiff sentences is also in line with the recent policy to develop stronger measures against cruelty to animals.

Ashwin could have been fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed for up to 12 months for each offence.

 

[Vultan]

Woman jailed for lying that she was raped by her employer

Published on Apr 16, 2015 12:01 PM
By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - A performing artiste who lied to the police about being raped by her employer was jailed for three weeks on Thursday.

Citti Babu Prasanya, 21, an Indian national, admitted to lying to a senior police officer during a police interview on Aug 11 last year. She had said that one Haji Mohamed Shaik Allauddin, 33, had sex with her the previous day even though she repeatedly told him in Tamil that she did not want.

The court heard Prasanya had been working for Haji Mohamed's club, Aashiyana, since July 4 last year when she made the rape allegation against him.

As a result, Haji Mohamed was arrested by the police and had his statement taken.

 

[Vultan]

Malaysian charged 26 years later for committing armed robbery at Upper Bukit Timah

AsiaOne Friday, Apr 17, 2015

SINGAPORE - A 53-year-old Malaysian man, Thoo Ing Lai, was charged in court today for committing armed robbery at a commercial building at Upper Bukit Timah on March 2, 1989.

Police said "with the assistance and close collaboration with the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP)", the suspect was arrested in Malaysia and was extradited back to Singapore on Thursday.

"The Singapore Police Force (SPF) would like to thank the RMP for their strong and unequivocal support for this case. The arrest of the suspect would not have been possible without the close collaboration and strong relationship between the SPF and RMP," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigations & Intelligence) and concurrent Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, Tan Chye Hee.

"The SPF will spare no efforts to hunt down criminals who commit serious crimes in Singapore and flee our borders thereafter. We will work with our foreign law enforcement partners to bring these fugitives to justice, no matter how long it takes. These fugitives will not escape from the long arm of the law."

[email protected]

 

[Vultan]

Club performer jailed 3 weeks for false rape report

Shaffiq Alkhatib The New Paper Sunday, Apr 19, 2015

She cheated on her boyfriend by sleeping with her employer.

And when her boyfriend found out, Indian national Citti Babu Prasanya, 21, lied and claimed that her boss, Mr Haji Mohamed Shaik Allauddin, 33, had raped her.

She was jailed for three weeks yesterday after pleading guilty to one count of giving false information to a police officer at the Police Cantonment Complex on Aug 11 last year.

At the time, Citti was working as a performing artist in the Aashiyana club at Dunlop Street in Little India.

The pub was co-owned by Mr Haji Mohamed, who also co-owned another club, Sorgam, at nearby Dalhousie Lane.

After Citti had consensual sex with Mr Haji Mohamed, her boyfriend, Mr Muthu Gunaseelan, 30, found out about it.

As a result, Citti phoned the police at around 9.40am on Aug 10 and claimed that her boss had raped her.

Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Zhang Yiwen from the Serious Sexual Crime Branch interviewed Citti after she underwent a medical check-up.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Sarah Shi told the court: "(Citti) alleged that (Mr Haji Mohamed) had sexual intercourse with her even though she was crying and had repeatedly told him in Tamil, 'Enakku venna sir' which means 'I don't want sir'."

After the police arrested Mr Haji Mohamed, ASP Zhang recorded his statement. He denied the allegations and said that the sexual intercourse was consensual and that Citti had in fact initiated it.

He also said that Citti had told him that her boyfriend had found out about their liaison and said that if she was not a prostitute, then her boss must have forced her into having sex.

When pressed for a clarification, Citti confessed to ASP Zhang that she had made a false report.

'CONFUSED AND LOST'

DPP Shi said: "The accused admitted to (ASP Zhang) that she was confused and lost when she made the false report and that she was sorry for what she had done.

"She further admitted that she made the false report because (her boyfriend) found out that she had sexual intercourse with (her boss)."

On Aug 19, ASP Zhang made a police report that Citti had made a false rape allegation.

DPP Shi urged District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt to jail Citti for four weeks because she had committed a serious offence.

A false police report could cause innocent people to be subjected to investigations.

However, Citti's lawyer, Mr Revi Shanker, asked the judge to sentence her to two weeks' jail.

Pleading for leniency, he said that she had pleaded guilty to the offence at an early stage.

For giving false information to the police, Citti could have been jailed up to a year and fined up to $5,000.

 

[Vultan]

2 death-row traffickers get life term instead

Published on Apr 21, 2015 7:33 AM
By Hoe Pei Shan

Five years on death row ended yesterday for convicted Malaysian drug traffickers Cheong Chun Yin and Pang Siew Fum after a High Court re-sentenced them to life in prison.

Cheong, now 31, arrived at Changi Airport from Myanmar on June 16, 2008, with a black trolley bag which he handed to Pang, 57, before the two parted ways.

They were arrested separately later that day, and the bag was found to contain 2,726g of heroin.

They were convicted of drug trafficking after a joint High Court trial in 2010 and sentenced to death - the mandatory penalty at the time for trafficking more than 15g of the drug.

 

[Vultan]

Former Malaysian national football player sentenced to 24 months imprisonment in match-fixing case

AsiaOne Thursday, Apr 23, 2015

A former Malaysian national football player has been sentenced to 24 months imprisonment for corruption and immigration offences.

Thana Segar S Sinnaiah, 40, had pleaded guilty to the following four proceeded charges:

- one count of abetment by conspiracy with Selvarajan S/O Letchuman to corruptly give a gratification of a sum not more than RM15,000 (S$10,440) to Shokri Bin Nor, a referee with the Football Association of Malaysia as a reward to fix the Malaysian Super League match between the Lions XII and Sarawak FA scheduled on May 22, 2012,

- two counts of abetment by conspiracy with Selvarajan and Shokri to cheat Singapore Pools (Private) Limited,

- and one count of failure to present passport when leaving Singapore.

Four other charges of abetment by conspiracy to cheat Singapore Pools were taken into consideration for the sentencing.

Thana Segar was first charged on May 24, 2012 for one count of engaging with Shokri in a conspiracy to corruptly agree to receive a gratification to fix a Malaysian Super League match between the Lions XII and Sarawak FA.

While out on bail, Thana Segar absconded and failed to turn up for the pre-trial conference on Aug 7, 2012. In Aug 2014, Thana Segar was apprehended with the assistance of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in a statement that "Singapore has always adopted a zero tolerance approach towards corruption, and match fixing of any form is not condoned in Singapore".

CPIB "investigates into match-fixing through bribery cases and will not hesitate to take action against any parties involved if they had given or received bribes to fix a match. The Bureau works closely with the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), the authorities and our counterparts to keep the local soccer scene clean," added the statement.

[email protected]

 

[Vultan]

Indonesian maid jailed for putting eucalyptus oil in baby's bottled breast milk

Published on Apr 27, 2015 3:04 PM
By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - A maid put eucalyptus oil in packs of breast milk meant for her employer's baby because she wanted to be scolded and sent back to Indonesia.

Annisa, 28 - who goes by one name - was jailed for three years on Monday after she pleaded guilty to attempting to cause hurt to the two-month-old boy.

The court heard that the Health Sciences Authority advises against feeding children eucalyptus oil as it contains terpineol, a potentially fatal ingredient.

The maid had been alone at their Ang Mo Kio home on Aug 23 last year when she came across the bottle of oil and decided to mix it with breast milk which her 34-year-old employer would store in the fridge and feed to her son two or three times a day.

The court heard that the helper's mother had died and she wanted to return to Indonesia to care for her father.

When the maid's employer returned home she noticed that two packs of breast milk in the fridge had a pungent smell.

She told her 44-year-old husband and later that evening they searched Annisa's belongings and found a bottle of PurerAire Eucalyptus oil placed on top of a cabinet. They smelt the contents of the bottle and called the police.

Annisa, who is divorced, said she was "truly remorseful" and asked for a light sentence.

But Assistant Public Prosecutor Lim Yu Hui sought at least three years' jail, citing several aggravating factors such as a significant breach of trust and that Annisa had targeted a vulnerable and innocent victim.

District Judge Lee Poh Choo, who backdated her sentence to Dec 30, told Annisa there was "absolutely no excuse" for what she had done.

Annisa could have been jailed for up to five years and fined.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Suspect accused of lying about being unable to go home

Hoe Pei Shan The Straits Times Friday, May 01, 2015

Arun Kaliamurthy, an Indian national who was in Singapore as a tourist on a social visit pass, took part in the 8 December 2013 riot in Little India.

The prosecution yesterday accused Arun Kaliamurthy - one of 25 men charged for their roles in the Little India riot - of lying.

The 29-year-old yesterday took the stand in his trial for failing to disperse on the night of the Dec 8 riot even after being lawfully commanded to do so.

The Indian national was then living in a rented room in Little India while looking for a job.

Arun told the court he did try to "disperse" when told to do so by police trying to clear the vicinity of Race Course Road.

But as he approached his block in Chander Road, auxiliary police officers prevented him from heading up, leaving him with "no choice" but to hang around at restaurants nearby, he claimed.

He was later arrested at a restaurant along Kampong Kapor Road at about 2am on Dec 9.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sellakumaran Sellamuthoo, however, accused Arun of lying, pointing out that his flat mate had in fact made it home earlier and had not mentioned any difficulties with auxiliary police officers.

Before his arrest, Arun also took a five-minute video with his mobile phone showing burning vehicles and men cheering, whistling, even urging others to take part in the mayhem.

Arun said he was so focused on taking the video that he could not fully register the commands to disperse. He also claimed that he assumed the instructions were for those actively involved in the riot. He did not think it applied to bystanders, describing himself as one.

But DPP Sellakumaran said that the commands to disperse could be heard clearly in Arun's video, and that the accused had blatantly ignored them.

Arun disagreed, telling the court that he would "certainly" have left the area if he had understood that the announcements were meant for everyone.

District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan is expected to deliver his verdict on May 28. If convicted, Arun could face up to two years in jail and a fine.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Man charged with cheating nine victims of $6,500 in alleged online scam

Published on Apr 30, 2015 12:30 PM
By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - A man was charged in court on Thursday with cheating nine people of about $6,500 in an alleged online scam.

Dwight T. Soriano, 30, faces 11 charges of deceiving nine people into giving him between $100 and $1,463 either by fund transfers or personally for purported purchases of limited-edition G Shock watches, Gundam watches and figurines.

The alleged offences took place between August and October last year.

He is being held at Tanglin Police Division for further investigation.

He will appear in court again on May 7.

In a statement on Thursday, police said they have received several reports regarding non-delivery of limited-edition watches and toy figurines that victims have ordered and made payments online since last October.

Officers from Tanglin conducted extensive investigation to establish the identity of the suspect. He was arrested at Beach Road on Tuesday.

Preliminary investigations revealed that he is believed to be involved in at least 24 other similar cases, where the victims have lost more than $37,000.

The police advised the public to make online purchases only from reputable vendors to avoid falling victim to online purchase scams.

[email protected]

 

[khunking]

Has the Rohingya conflict been resolved?

[h=2]Gruesome Myanmar communal murders grip Penang[/h]By S. Arulldas
September 18, 2014

Secluded homes like this at Kampung Main Road in Prai where a large number of Myanmar nationals live have looked suspicious following the killing of 20 of their countrymen. — Picture by Malay Mail
GEORGE TOWN, Sept 18 — Twenty people savagely murdered in Penang this year are believed to be victims of communal clashes between Muslims and Buddhists from Myanmar.
Police said the latest was the double-murder of two men in their 30s who had their throats slit and their bodies dumped in an oil palm plantation in Kampung Manggis in Bukit Mertajam on Monday.
Police are worried religious and ethnic tensions between the two groups in Myanmar have bubbled to surface in the state with deadly consequences. Most of the victims were Buddhists.
They have been unable to head off the violence due to communication problems with both
communities.
State deputy police chief Datuk A. Thaiveegan said a special task force has been set up by police to investigate the deaths.
“We are probing if religious disputes are involved,” he said.
The flashpoint of this violence is Seberang Prai where Rohingya Muslims from the western Rakhine state are the main suspects in the killings.
No one has been arrested in connection with the murders which began in January, although several weapons, mainly knives have been seized.
The reason for the killings are not immediately clear, with both groups blaming each other for the bitter tension.
Police sources said the victims, mostly factory workers, were brutally killed and were found with their throats slit.
A source said: “Six people were been killed in central Seberang Prai in three separate cases while the remains of two other victims were discovered in southern Seberang Prai in the last four months.
“The remaining cases were reported in northern Seberang Prai while several other cases have also been occurred on the island.”
The source said the victims, all men, aged between 20 and 40 were abducted from their homes and murdered elsewhere.
Most of the victims were found without documents and their remains were identified by colleagues and friends.
Police believe the assailants had targeted their victims through their workplace colleagues and had also obtained information on them from members of their community who have been here for years.
Investigations have shown further conflict is at risk and police have asked employers of the victims for leads.
On Monday, a plantation worker stumbled upon the bodies of the two men at about 8.50am. Apart from slit throats, they also suffered multiple stab wounds.
Police believe they were murdered at another place before their bodies were dumped at the plantation.
One of the victims was identified based on his travel document while the identity of the other is still unknown.

 

[khunking]

Drunk man molests woman on flight, kicks 2 policemen

[h=2]Drunk man molests woman on flight, kicks 2 policeman[/h]

Saturday, May 2, 2015 - 06:00Zaihan Mohamed Yusof


The New Paper



He had boarded the British Airways (BA) flight drunk.
While the plane was taxiing on the runway of Changi Airport Terminal 1 just after 8pm on March 3, Kobacker Marlon Shae started touching the female passenger next to him.
The 47-year-old woman pushed Shae away when he touched her right thigh and hand.
Despite this, he continued to put his arm around her and tried to kiss her. Outraged, the woman stood up and shouted at him to stop.
Yesterday, Shae, 35, an Australian, was sentenced a total of two months and three weeks in jail for his actions on that flight.
He had also kicked two police officers in the face when he was detained.
Before sentencing Shae, District Judge Shawn Ho said he had considered the fact that the accused has had no prior antecedents, both in Singapore and in Australia.
Nevertheless, Mr Ho said he could not "condone violence against police officers, outrage of modesty or unruly conduct."
FLIGHT TURNED BACK
The court heard that the flight to Sydney, Australia, was made to return to Changi Airport. At about 8.50pm, two police officers attached to the Airport Police Division went to Terminal 1 Departure Transit gate hold room C20 to arrest Shae.
The two cops, Sergeant Muhammad Zaki Ayob, 31, and Corporal Muhammad Imran Ramlan, 20, noticed that Shea's face was flushed.
It was later revealed that Shae's blood contained 224mg of ethanol per 100ml of blood. This is nearly triple the legal limit for driving.
When Sgt Zaki told Shae he was being arrested, Shae struggled with the officers. In the process, Sgt Zaki was kicked on his left jaw.
Later, when Shae was put into the back of a police vehicle at the basement carpark of Terminal 1, he kicked Cpl Imran in his face.
Cpl Imran had sat in the front seat of the vehicle and had turned to check on Shae when he was struck. Both police officers suffered bruises.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Allison Phua had recommended a total sentence of between three and four months' jail for Shae.
She cited his persistence on the plane despite the victim making it clear that she was shocked and outraged by his actions.
He had also repeatedly resisted arrest.
Ms Phua said: "His actions had disrupted the lives of all 297 people (on board). The plane had to turn back."
The flight was delayed by 1 hour 45 minutes.
She added that the authorities took a very serious view of these disruptions as such unruly conduct pose a threat to aviation security.
Defence lawyer Amarjit Singh Sidhu urged the judge to instead consider a fine to be imposed on his client.
The judge allowed Shae to settle his personal affairs before surrendering to the court today to serve his sentence.

 

[khunking]

Re: Drunk man molests woman on flight, kicks 2 policemen

[h=2]Officer who arrested Little India riot suspect 'untruthful'[/h]Hoe Pei ShanThe Straits TimesThursday, Apr 30, 2015
[h=2]201504_arunkali_ST.jpg[/h]

Arun Kaliamurthy





- See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/crime/...-riot-suspect-untruthful#sthash.jxFgMXWO.dpuf

A heated exchange erupted in court yesterday after defence counsel Shashi Nathan yesterday claimed that a police officer was lying on the stand.
The accused, Arun Kaliamurthy, is the last of 25 men to be dealt with for their roles in the 2013 Little India riot. He is the second man to claim trial.
The 29-year-old Indian national, who was then living in a rented room in Little India while job hunting, was initially charged with rioting, but is now fighting an amended charge of failure to disperse.
On the second day of his trial yesterday, one of Arun's arresting officers, Station Inspector Adrian Aw, was cross-examined by Mr Nathan, who asked about the arrest. Court documents indicate it took place at a restaurant in Kampong Kapor Road at about 2am on the morning after the Dec 8 riot.
The officer told the court that he checked Arun's identity at the restaurant, but Mr Nathan noted that the accused was not carrying any identification documents that night. He accused the police officer of being "untruthful".
After asking about further details, some of which Station Insp Aw could not recall, Mr Nathan said: "The way you vacillate in your evidence is very alarming."
The lawyer told the court his client's version of events leading to the arrest. According to Arun, Station Insp Aw accused him of being a "gangster" involved in the riot after seeing his arm tattoo.
Arun claimed the officer made insensitive remarks based on his race. Then, the officer or his colleague used "unreasonable force".
Station Insp Aw denied the allegations, and Deputy Public Prosecutor Sellakumaran Sellamuthoo objected to the relevance of Mr Nathan's questioning.
The DPP said the charge was about Arun failing to leave the vicinity of Race Course Road and Kerbau Road despite being lawfully commanded to disperse earlier in the night, and the details Mr Nathan was pursuing had "no bearing" on the case. Mr Nathan said he was trying to test the veracity of the officer's testimony.
But District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan said trying to show "improper police conduct" would not impact the dispersal charge. "I'm not saying it doesn't matter if the police were brutal or not, but it is not relevant to the charge," the judge said, disallowing Mr Nathan from asking similar questions.
The trial was adjourned after the prosecution acknowledged no effort was made to bring a key witness to the trial. The witness, a friend of Arun's who was with him on the night of the riot, has returned to India after being convicted of assaulting a police officer.
The trial is expected to continue today, depending on the availability of witnesses.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

MAN JAILED 3 YEARS AND SIX MONTHS FOR KILLING ANOTHER WITH LOG

May 4, 2015 12:28pm
By: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF

A Myanmar national, 26, was jailed three years and six months on Monday morning for killing a compatriot with a wooden log.

Nay Aung, who was a seaman, had fought with Mr Ko Ko Maung, 51, at Penjuru Lane on May 29, 2013.

Mr Maung, who was an engineer of a vessel, had apparently confronted Aung at the premises of C & P Logistics Hub.

After a verbal exchange, Mr Maung took out a nunchaku and struck Aung.

Minutes later, Mr Maung again charged at Aung.

The latter picked up a wooden log and swung it at Mr Maung, striking him several times.

He was later found bleeding from several injuries and pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Seaman jailed for beating man to death with log

He hit ship engineer who had attacked him first with a martial arts weapon

Published on May 5, 2015 8:28 AM

Nay Aung (above) was jailed for 3-1/2 years. His lawyer said Aung had struck Mr Ko Ko Maung on impulse but got "too caught up in the heat of the moment".

By Selina Lum

A SEAMAN who picked up a log and used it to beat to death a ship engineer, who had attacked him first with a martial arts weapon, was jailed for 3-1/2 years yesterday.

Nay Aung, 26, slammed the 2kg chunk of wood into the face and body of 51-year-old Ko Ko Maung.

The latter had earlier been involved in a row with Aung's brother on two supply ships which had berthed alongside each other along the Jurong River.

Mr Maung died on the spot of fractures and internal injuries.

Aung pleaded guilty to culpable homicide.

The High Court heard that the two men, from Myanmar, bumped into each other in Penjuru Lane when Aung went to buy cold drinks on May 29, 2013.

A row erupted over the earlier incident and Mr Maung reached into his bag to pull out a nunchaku - a martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks linked by a rope.

Aung was struck by the weapon but retaliated by punching Mr Maung.

The nunchaku broke in the scuffle, which was later ended by some Indonesian seamen.

However, as Aung returned to his vessel, Mr Maung rushed towards him wielding a 27cm stick that had broken off his weapon.

Aung picked up the 110cm log and swung it hard at Mr Maung, who dropped the stick.

Aung chased after him and continued hitting him with the log.

Mr Maung was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Aung went back to his vessel but was later asked to return to shore by police. He had suffered minor injuries to his shoulder and a finger.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Daphne Lim yesterday asked for Aung to be jailed for four years.

"Even taking into account the deceased's initial conduct, the violence that was subsequently displayed by the accused... was wholly disproportionate," she said.

Ms Lim argued that while Mr Maung appeared to be the aggressor at first, Aung continued to hit him with a bigger and deadlier weapon even after the older man was disarmed.

Aung's lawyer, Mr Mervyn Cheong, said his client had struck Mr Maung on impulse, adding: "Unfortunately, Nay Aung got too caught up in the heat of the moment."

[email protected]

 

[GeneralHavoc]

Accountant jailed four-and-a-half years for forgeries totalling $452K and falsifying documents

Published on May 6, 2015 2:48 PM

Loke Kar Fai, a 27-year-old Malaysian, was employed by Swee Chioh Fishery when he committed 364 offences. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

By Elena Chong

SINGAPORE - An accountant was jailed a total of four-and-a-half years on Wednesday for a series of forgery offences involving a total of $451,538 over a year.

Loke Kar Fai, a 27-year-old Malaysian, was employed by Swee Chioh Fishery when he committed 364 offences, including falsifying payment vouchers.

Loke, who pleaded guilty to 30 counts, said in his police statement that he committed the offences to pay his father's debts. He also admitted that he used up all the money obtained from the forgeries to those ends and for his own personal expenses and gambling.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Norman Yew said Loke, who started working for the company in 2012, was entrusted to handle the company's cheques and payments.

 

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Malaysian believed to be part of cheating syndicate charged

TODAY reports: The 24-year-old man allegedly got three senior citizens living in different parts of Singapore to hand him sums ranging from S$20 to S$300 as deposits for repair works.

SINGAPORE: A 24-year-old Malaysian man, who is believed to be part of a syndicate that went around cheating the elderly in different estates by posing as a representative of the Housing and Development Board (HDB), was charged on Wednesday (May 6).
Lee Zhen Ning allegedly got three senior citizens living in different parts of Singapore to hand him sums ranging from S$20 to S$300 as deposits for repair works.

His three alleged offences took place between May and August last year. The victims, aged 62 to 80, cannot be named because of a court order.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Eunice Lim told the court that Lee is believed to be part of a Singapore-Malaysia syndicate. Lee has no roots in Singapore and came here to commit offences, she said. Court documents, however, did not state who Lee allegedly worked with.

His case will be mentioned again on Jun 3. If convicted of cheating and dishonestly inducing the delivery of property, Lee could be jailed up to 10 years and fined.