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SINGAPORE – One of seven people linked to the high-profile Orchard Towers murder in July last year received a conditional warning.
Mr. Chan Jia Xing, 27, was originally charged, along with six other people, with the murder last year of Mr. Satheesh Noel Gobidass, 31. His charge was later reduced to that of associating with a person who carried an offensive weapon in a public place.
However, on Thursday (October 15) afternoon, Chan received a conditional warning. This means that you will have to refrain from any criminal conduct for one year. If you commit a crime within this period, you can be prosecuted again for the association charge and for the new crime.
A conditional warning does not amount to a conviction or a guilty plea, and it does not leave a criminal record, meaning that Chan will face no further developments in the case if he manages to remain crime free for one year.
He is the fourth of seven people linked to the Orchard Towers murder that he will face.
The others are Tan Hong Sheng, 23; Natalie Siow Yu Zhen, 24; Loo Boon Chong, 26 years old; Tan Sen Yang, 28; Joel Tan Yun Sheng, 26; and Ang Da Yuan, 26.
The group had gone to the Naughty Girl Club on the second floor of Orchard Towers in the early hours of July 2 of last year. They were about to leave around 6:20 a.m. when they encountered another group entering, after which a dispute ensued.
Mr. Satheesh was killed after confronting one of the men involved in the dispute who, together with the man’s friends, attacked him.
The fight was captured by cameras placed outside a store on the first floor of Orchard Towers. CCTV footage shows Mr. Satheesh exchanging blows with some people before stumbling in front of the building’s glass doors.
He appears to be bleeding from his neck and the footage shows bystanders trying to stop the flow of blood.
Mr. Satheesh was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital but died at 7.25am. M.
Speaking to the media outside state courts on Thursday, Chan said he was concerned about the outcome of his case.
“My parents encouraged me to be strong and not to do stupid things. I really want to go to work and find a suitable job,” she said.
He added that he has not been in contact with the others involved in the case.
“I will remain crime free not only beyond this year, but for the rest of my life,” Chan added.
Defense attorney Josephus Tan told The Straits Times that he and his client were “grateful to the AGC for making the right decision” and dropped the charges against Mr. Chan.
“It has been an arduous journey for him. Now he is happily looking forward to the birth of his firstborn next month instead of spending time in prison for this unfortunate tragedy.”
Natalie Siow, the only woman involved in the case, was sentenced last Friday (October 9) to five months in jail. She had pleaded guilty to assault and being in the company of Tan Sen Yang, who had a kerambit knife, a curved blade that resembles a claw, in his possession at the mall prior to the incident.
Two men linked to the incident, office manager Joel Tan and hotel receptionist Ang Da Yuan, were indicted in court in March this year.
Ang was sentenced to eight months in jail and six strokes of the baton after pleading guilty to one count of assault and being in the company of Tan Sen Yang. Joel Tan, who had admitted to a single assault charge, was sentenced to four weeks in jail.
Tan Sen Yang is the only one still facing a murder charge. His case and those involving Tan Hong Sheng and Loo Boon Chong are pending.
Mr. Josephus Tan also represents Tan Hong Sheng, whose initial murder charge against him was reduced to that of associating with a person carrying an offensive weapon in a public place. Loo also faces a consort charge.
Criminals convicted of murder will face the death penalty. Those convicted of assault can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $ 5,000.
If convicted of associating with a person carrying an offensive weapon in a public place, one can be jailed for up to three years and receive at least six strokes of the baton.
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