Updated: 01/27/2014 12:48 | By Channel NewsAsia
Man jailed for grievous hurt after 12 years on the run
SINGAPORE: A man who had skipped town for 12 years after causing grievous hurt to his victim was on Monday sentenced to seven years' jail.
Eng Bak Siong, 59, initially faced the murder charge after the death of Peng Teck Hoe, 32. But this was amended to one of causing grievous hurt.
The attack took place on February 21, 2001 at about 4pm, at the market at Lorong 1 Toa Payoh.
Eng had used a knife to stab Mr Peng in the abdomen.
He was said to have done so with two others, Neo Eng Hwee and Tan Keng Heng.
Tan is still on the run, while Neo was sentenced to three years and eight months' jail.
The court heard that Eng had gone to the market to help Neo who was cheated in a card game.
One of the cheats challenged Eng to a fight, whereby Eng picked up a knife from the ground and stabbed the deceased.
Eng immediately fled to Malaysia that same day and was arrested by Malaysian authorities last year.
The defence argued that Eng had reacted to aggression from the deceased and his friends, and that it was not premeditated, and urged the court to impose a jail term of less than five years.
But District Judge Salina Ishak pointed out several aggravating factors, including Eng's role in the attack.
She noted that Eng was the one who inflicted the fatal wound, and that he stabbed the deceased not once, but two to three times.
The judge added that Eng and his co-accused also fled to Malaysia.
For causing grievous hurt by stabbing, Eng could have been jailed for life or up to 10 years, fined and caned. - CNA/nd
