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SINGAPORE – The Attorney General’s Office (AGC) issued a clarification on Tuesday (October 20) on the high-profile Orchard Towers assault case that resulted in the death of a 31-year-old man, explaining why the seven co-defendants received different charges proportional to their crimes.
The clarification comes four days after a statement was issued refuting posts on social media that alleged preferential treatment of suspects based on their race.
In the early hours of July 2, 2019, Tan Sen Yang and six friends were drinking at Naughty Girl Club on the second floor of Orchard Towers. Tan allegedly had a kerambit knife, with a curved blade and a loop at the end of the handle. At one point in the night, he allegedly pulled out the knife and showed it to his friends.
When the group left the club, victim Satheesh Noel Gobidass confronted them, AGC said Tuesday.
“Tan, Ang Da Yuan, Natalie Siow Yu Zhen, Joel Tan Yun Sheng, and the deceased had a fight. Tan allegedly cut the deceased several times. In addition to the four involved in the fight, three other people were present, namely Chan Jia Xing, Tan Hong Sheng, and Loo Boon Chong. Chan, Tan Hong Sheng, and Loo were not involved in the fight or had tried to stop it.
Tan Sen Yang faces a murder charge before the High Court.
Meanwhile, Ang, Siow and Joel Tan admitted to kicking and hitting Satheesh during the assault, which lasted less than a minute and was not premeditated.
“His actions resulted in two abrasions on the deceased’s upper body, both of which were minor and non-fatal in nature. There was not enough evidence to show that they were intended to cause more than just harm. As such, charges of willfully causing harm with common intent were prosecuted against him, ”said AGC.
While the damage caused would normally have merited a fine, in line with previous cases, AGC sought a jail sentence due to the group violence and public unrest caused.
AGC also prosecuted Ang and Siow for associating with a person who was carrying an offensive weapon in a public place, as they knew that Tan Sen Yang was carrying the knife but remained in their company.
Ang, who has prior convictions related to violence, was jailed for eight months with six strokes of the baton. Siow and Joel Tan, who had no criminal records, were jailed for five months and one month respectively.
Chan recently received a 12-month conditional warning from the police regarding AGC’s direction, “after considering the facts of the case and the extent of Chan’s involvement, including that he tried to stop the attack on the deceased and his cooperation with police investigations, “it said.
Tan Hong Sheng and Loo face one charge of fraternizing with a person carrying an offensive weapon in a public place in state courts. Loo also faces an additional charge of perverting the course of justice.
In its statement last week, AGC said: “The accusations of preferential treatment for different races are unfounded and have the potential to upset racial harmony in Singapore, causing irreversible divisions in our communities.”
He added: “AGC has ordered the police to investigate the individuals responsible for a number of social media posts that are potentially in contempt of court. AGC will not hesitate to take action against those who break the law. ”
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