Corpun file 18169

Channel News Asia, Singapore, 16 August 2006

Worker gets 10-year jail sentence, caning for killing fellow Thai

SINGAPORE : The Thai construction worker who clubbed a fellow Thai national to death with a hammer in their workers' quarters at Ama Keng Road last year has escaped the gallows.

Singngoi Somsak, who initially faced a murder charge, had the charged reduced to culpable homicide not amounting to murder on Monday.

This was after 11 days of trial.

On Wednesday, the 41-year-old pleaded guilty to the reduced charge and was sentenced to 10 years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane.

His jail term has been backdated to the date of custody - October 19 last year.

Singngoi Somsak was apparently upset with the victim, a pimp, who refused to let him have sex with a prostitute.

The victim was 35-year-old Jongtakhu Choochai, an illegal immigrant working as a pimp for three Thai prostitutes.

The group had stayed in makeshift huts in a forested area near the workers' quarters.

Anand Nalachandran, Defence lawyer, said, "During the course of the hearing, evidence emerged that warranted a review of the case and the prosecution agreed to offer a reduced charge and the accused accepted the reduced charge.

"He was relieved of course when the charge was reduced. Upon hearing the sentence today, he is quite satisfied with it. It's a very fair sentence." - CNA/ms

Copyright © 2006 MCN International Pte Ltd

Corpun file 18185

The New Paper, Singapore, 19 August 2006

Vandals attack Tampines carpark

By Alvin Chiang

THE words are bold and colourful.
'Jacky Chan was here'.
'May the force b wif u'.

Graffiti covers the floors and walls of the carpark. -- LIANHE WANBAO

In colours from black and blue to red, graffiti covers the walls of a multi-storey carpark at Block 823A Tampines Street 81.

The same colours the vandals may have on their behinds if caught, as one of the possible penalties for vandalism is the cane.

The penalty is a fine of up to $2,000 or jail for three years, or both, with three to eight strokes of the cane.

The five-storey carpark, which has been there for about three years, is deserted even during the day.

It is not known when the graffiti appeared on the walls.

Although it is located in the heart of a busy neighbourhood - next to a wet market - few cars are parked there.

From the third storey upwards, the walls near parking lots and at the exits have been vandalised, but the first two storeys have been left untouched.

The top storey of the carpark is uncovered.

When The New Paper visited the carpark on a weekday morning, fewer than 15 cars were parked on the third and fourth storeys.
There were no cars on the top floor.

Other graffiti included swear words and drawings of body parts.

'The senior property officer will be reviewing the CCTV tapes frequently so that he can pass any relevant information to the police.' - Tampines Town Council spokesman

Taxi driver Goh Kim Chau, 52, was reading a newspaper in his taxi on the third floor of the carpark when he spoke to The New Paper.
He said in Mandarin: 'This is the first time that I have been to this carpark. Looking at the graffiti, I it must have been here for a very long time.
'I don't think it's unsafe to leave my car here as I think it is most likely to be the work of naughty children who have nothing better to do.'

The Tampines Town Council said it was aware of the problem.
A spokesman said there 'have been periodic complaints about this particular car park'.

The senior property manager in charge of the area has already arranged for the vandalised walls to be painted over. Also, the town council has asked the police to step up patrols in the area.
Despite these measures, the carpark was still vandalised, the spokesman said. As a result, closed circuit televisions (CCTVs) were installed earlier this month on the top floor.
The spokesman said: 'The senior property officer will be reviewing the CCTV tapes frequently so that he can pass any relevant information to the police.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All rights reserved.

Corpun file 18227

Straits Times, Singapore, 25 August 2006

Man who sold Ice to doctor jailed, caned

By Khushwant Singh

NABBED IN APRIL: Cheo walked into a trap set up by CNB officers.

THE trafficker who sold Ice to Adrian Yeo See Seng, 27, for a gay sex romp was jailed for six years and ordered to be given 10 strokes of the cane yesterday.

Yeo walked into a trap laid by two Central Narcotics Bureau undercover officers at a hotel in Bencoolen Street on April 1.

Investigations then led the officers to Carl Benedict Cheo Wang Meng and the 35-year-old was caught trafficking 10 Ecstasy pills at Boat Quay on April 2.

He also admitted selling 0.16g of Ice to Yeo in March. The officers also found 2.9kg of Ice in his home at Rio Vista Condominium in Hougang.

Cheo was sentenced to five years' jail with five strokes of the cane on each of the two trafficking charges and one year's jail each for possessing and consuming Ice. The jail term for one of the trafficking charges and the consumption charge were ordered to run together with the other two jail terms.

He could have been jailed up to 20 years and caned 15 times for each trafficking offence.

Cheo's lawyer, Mr Anand Nalachandran, had asked the court for the minimum sentence as Cheo had been diagnosed as suffering from depression since 1988.

He said Cheo had succumbed to the lure of illicit drugs to lessen the emotional trauma of depression, and to seek respite and solace from various personal problems.

Copyright © 2006 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn No. 198402868E |