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SINGAPORE: The Attorney General’s Office (AGC) on Friday (October 16) refuted allegations made on social media that people involved in the case of a death at Orchard Towers received preferential treatment at sentencing because of their race.
The AGC has ordered the police to investigate those responsible for the social media posts who “are potentially in contempt of court.”
“The Attorney General’s Office is aware of social media posts alleging preferential treatment of defendants involved in the death of Satheesh Noel s / o Gobidass, 31, in Orchard Towers on July 2, 2019, according to their race, “the AGC said in a press release.
“Any allegation that the Court imposes sentences on offenders based on their race and imposes harsher sentences if they are members of a minority race is categorically false and without foundation.”
SEVEN INDIVIDUALS INITIALLY CHARGED WITH MURDER
Of the seven people initially charged with the murder of Mr. Satheesh, six have had the charges reduced.
Two people initially charged with murder were tried in court on reduced charges last week, one received a five-month prison sentence and another received a conditional warning.
READ: Man Originally Charged with Murder in Orchard Towers Case Receives Conditional Warning for Reduced Charge
READ: Woman originally charged with murder in Orchard Towers case receives 5 months in jail for degraded crimes
Chan Jia Xing received a conditional warning Thursday for a reduced charge of associating with a person who possesses an offensive weapon.
The only woman in the case, Natalie Siow Yu Zhen, was sentenced to five months in jail on October 9. He pleaded guilty to one count of willfully causing harm with common intent and associating with a person who possesses an offensive weapon.
READ: Orchard Towers Death – First Two Men Convicted for Role in Fatal Fight
READ: Two more manage to demote murder charges, leaving one facing a capital charge in the Orchard Towers death
In March, co-defendant Joel Tan Yun Sheng was sentenced to four weeks in jail for willfully causing harm with common intent.
Ang Da Yuan was sentenced to eight months in prison and six strokes of the baton for willfully inflicting injury to the victim with kicks and punches, and for associating with Tan Sen Yang, the only remaining defendant facing a murder charge.
Tan Hong Sheng and Loo Boon Chong also had their charges reduced, ranging from murder to fraternizing with a person carrying an offensive weapon. Their cases are still pending.
The AGC said that the charges of the six people were reduced because “it was discovered that they were not involved in causing the death of the deceased.”
“At no time did the Police and AGC take into consideration the race of the deceased and the seven people in their decision,” he said.
The AGC also said the sentences handed down to Joel Tan, Siow and Ang were in line with sentencing guidelines for their charges, while Chan only received a warning because he “attempted to stop the attack on the deceased” and has cooperated with police investigations. .
Chan can still face her role as consort if she commits a crime during her 12-month warning period.
“The accusations of preferential treatment for different races are baseless and have the potential to upset racial harmony in Singapore, causing irreversible divisions in our communities,” the statement concluded.
“AGC will not hesitate to take action against those who break the law.”
